Byrd Billings Adoption Fraud Case

Byrd Billings was involved in an adoption fraud case involving a fake birth certificate and $2,100 back in 1989.

Court records in Escambia County show that Byrd Billings was involved in an adoption and birth certificate fraud case back in 1989 along with Cindy Reeve Billings, Byrd Billing’s second wife.

That’s when, according to court records, a 20-year old woman, Vickie Lynn Taylor checked in to Sacred Heart Hospital under the name Cindy Reeve. She had delivered a baby at home on June 4. While in Sacred Heart, she listed the father as Byrd Billings on the birth certificate.

After the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department got wind of the incident about ten days later, they interviewed Taylor who told them she agreed to the crime for a $2,100 loan from Billings. She said that the Billingses wanted to claim the baby as their own. That baby was named Justin.

The trio did not admit guilt, but pleaded nolo contendere. That plea means they agreed to be punished without actually admitting guilt. They were sentenced to two years probation.

When Billings divorced Reeve in 1993, his net worth was just $1,400. He had total case assets of just $100 and a monthly income of $1,190. Four months after that divorce, he was married to Melanie Billings.

(Click here http://www.northescambia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/billingsreevedivorce.pdf

In 1995, Cindy Reeve Billings was ordered to pay $300 per month child support to Byrd Billings. (Click here http://www.northescambia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/billingsreevesupport.pdf

At the time of his divorce from Cindy Reeve Billings, Byrd Billings was a consultant working for a company called Back Seat, Inc. — the holding company that owned the topless bar Back Seat Lounge.

At the time of the murders, Melanie Billings and her daughter Ashley Markham owned a used car lot and he owned a company called Worldco Financial Services.

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department has said several times that Billing’s current and former businesses are not part of their investigation.

IS Patrick Gonzalez Jr Delusional or did he work for the Government?

CBS claims to have Documents that shed light on the mindset and criminal past of the lead suspect in the grisly murder of a Florida couple who made full use of the Foster and Adoptive parent incentives.

Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Jr. , 35, has been accused of being the "Leader" or “head honcho”in the murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings in Beulah, Florida on July 9. So far, eight persons have been arrested in those murders, including Gonzalez, who is being held without bond.

CBS news claims to obtained the confidential deposition of Gonzalez Jr. from an unrelated case in Pensacola, Florida.

Gonzalez Jr. was subpoenaed by the State Attorney’s office and granted “blanket immunity” for his involvement in that case. Which seems strange because I thought only US Government employees or contractors could get “blanket immunity”

During the October 30, 2008 deposition, Gonzalez, Jr. said his criminal past had began when he was only 17 years old and violated his probation. He credits his criminal history for preparing him for the “job” he held at the time, which he described as "criminal counter-measures."

"Had I not committed those crimes and suffered and paid the consequences, I wouldn’t be able to do the job that I do now," Gonzalez, Jr. told James Jenkins, the criminal defense attorney who was taking his deposition.

Gonzalez, Jr. received $150,000 for providing "intelligence" services from January through April of 2008, according to Jenkins.

During the deposition Gonzalez characterized himself this way:

-- I had a colorful background and if you want, call it a misspent youth. I worked as a body guard for several people in the area and I did do some criminal countermeasures work.

-- I understand the criminal thought processes. I can help people to decide what’s the best measure they should take to protect themselves and their families and businesses.

-- I was interested in starting a company, UDT Institute. It stands for Ultimate Defensive Tactics Institute, which would provide criminal countermeasures training to wealthy individuals.

In the deposition, he also described himself as an advocate for victimized children. And interestingly said at one point, I couldn’t commit such a crime.

Gonzalez and his six alleged accomplices are charged with murder and scheduled for a grand jury hearing where the case will be presented by Florida state Attorney Bill Eddins.

This leaves America to wonder was Patrick Gonzalez Jr working for the US government? And If so why would he take law into his own hands? We all know Child trafficking is a hideous crime but wasn't the “ninja killing” hideous too.

While the question of , Was Patrick Gonzalez working for the Government on secret intelligence in 2008 may not be answered in this article. But the most important question of all can be, will America over look the child trafficking that is sooooo obvious? And if we do, that means that Patrick Gonzalez was definetly delusional, even if these documents that CBS claims to have, proves he worked for the Government. Because he obviouly believed that an 8 ninja style killing of two traffickers in their home or what he posted on his myspace”move for humanity” would not only make national news but would motivate AMERICANS to say ENOUGH!! with CPS and family courts trafficking our children for the 80,000 plus per child incentives!!!! So it is basicly up to us! Will we still over look the Fact CPS trafficks children, EVEN AFTER A HIDEOUS KILLING SUCH AS THIS? And if so which is worst being Delusional that he was going to be the hero or everyone of us being Complicit ?

Adoption Subsidy: Negotiating and Renegotiating A Child's Contract ( call it what it is child Trafficking where pervs get paid to have victims)

What is it, and which child qualifies?

Parents adopting children with special needs from private, non-profit agencies, or from the U.S. foster care system often have similar questions about adoption assistance, or subsidy. Dr. Rita Laws, (worshiping Master of Child Traffickers) has helped hundreds of families negotiate contracts, and she will answer any questions for the right price.

What is an adoption subsidy?

Adoption subsidies, also known as Adoption Assistance Payments (AAP), are monthly payments made to parents who adopt children with special needs from the U.S. foster care system. The amount is based on the severity of the child's disabilities and is in no way related to the income of the adoptiveparents. Subsidy (along with Medicaid coverage for the adoptee until adulthood) is meant to defray some of the costs associated with raising children. It is not meant to reimburse all expenses. It is not income so it is not taxable. It is not meant to take the place of child support after a divorce. It was designed to make adoption more affordable and therefore more feasible for the typical adult or couple. The average base amount nationwide is about $350.00 per month. ( can also qualify for SSI)

In 1980, Congress created the subsidy program (Public Law 96-272) to encourage foster parents and others to adopt waiting children because permanency offers important lifelong and generational benefits to children. This program has been very successful in three ways:

in helping to reform foster care,
in encouraging record numbers of adoptions, and
in saving tax dollars that would have otherwise been spent keeping children in foster care.
Several studies have shown that even fully subsidized children save the government billions of dollars in the long term by keeping children out of foster care and institutions.

Do internationally adopted children qualify for adoption subsidy?

No. Federal law was originally written to lessen the number of children in U.S. foster care, but a few internationally adopted children did qualify years ago. Changes in federal law and in the laws of the few states that once allowed it have now eliminated this possibility. State laws and services are always changing, however, so all adoptive parents should ask their agency about any other programs for which their internationally adopted children may qualify. Of course, children born outside of the U.S. who may enter the U.S. foster care system if the adoption dissolves (fails) could possibly qualify for an adoption subsidy as they move out of U.S. foster care and into their second adoptive home.

Does my child qualify for an adoption subsidy?

Each child in foster care, whether placed through a private or public agency, should have a Title IV-E eligibility checklist form in his or her file that shows whether or not the child qualifies for the AAP program. In some cases, a child who does not qualify for a federal adoption subsidy may still qualify for a state-funded subsidy.

If the child's risk factors and/or special needs qualify the child for the program, the parents will be asked to sign a contract, called an adoption assistance agreement.

Why, When, What, How?

Why do I have to "negotiate" a subsidy contract?

Federal law requires that contracts be negotiated to meet the individual needs of each child. Further, parents have the right to re-open negotiations and ask for a new contract any time the child's needs or the family circumstances change. There is no limit to how often or how many times any contract can be negotiated.

When is the subsidy first negotiated?

The ideal time to negotiate the subsidy is right before the child moves in, but many agencies don't get to it until the child has been in the home a few days or even weeks. This is fine as long as the contract is backdated to the day the child moved in for good (not just for a visit). This backdating will ensure payment back to the first day of eligibility. Many parents will want to renegotiate again after the child has been in the home a while and they have a better idea of the costs associated with meeting the child's needs.

If a family is told to wait to negotiate until after finalization, they should contact a supervisor for a second opinion because federal law says the contract should be dated from the date the child moves in for adoption. When subsidy contracts are negotiated later (as in cases where families were not told about subsidies), retroactive payments may go back to the date of move-in as well, but, by law, a fair hearing is required first, before retroactive payments can be made.

What do I need to negotiate a subsidy contract?

There are several documents that are "required reading" and a few helpful books.

The state subsidy profile sheet (and other fact sheets) that explains what each child might qualify for in the way of subsidy and special services. (You need the profile from the state that is placing the child into adoption.) Share this document with the child's agency.
The "Forever Families" report (.pdf format) that explains how benefits differ from state to state.
Access to the voluminous U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Bureau Child Welfare Policy Manual (the federal laws and rules governing subsidies and negotiation), and
Book: "Adoption and Financial Assistance," by Rita Laws and Tim O'Hanlon
Book: "Accessing Federal Adoption Subsidies After Legalization," by Tim O'Hanlon.
It is also helpful to have a copy of state laws governing subsidy. If your child's state of origin has not yet put its Adoption Code online, you can order a copy of state adoption laws through the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse (NAIC), a federal information center.

How do I negotiate a subsidy contract?

Once you have the documents listed above, gather up the documentation of your child's special needs such as medical records, prescription histories, psychological evaluations, school records, and the information about risk factors and special needs listed in the documents given to you by the adoption agency.

Next, match the level of your child's special needs to the appropriate level of adoption subsidy. (Note: a few states have one level of payment only.)

Example (To Illustrate How to Find the Subsidy Level)
Negotiating Tyrone's Subsidy

John's newly adopted ten year old son, Tyrone, has been diagnosed with severe learning disabilities and asthma. The state that placed Tyrone with John has 4 different levels of adoption subsidy and two age-related increase options. Level 2 includes conditions like asthma, and Level 3 covers certain disabilities of a severe nature, including learning problems. In addition, Tyrone qualifies for one age related increase as a child who is "between the ages of 6 and 12." Each level and age increase represents an extra 50 dollars over the Level 1 base rate of $350.00. Therefore, Tyrone qualifies for $500.00 per month. This is the base rate, plus an extra $50 due to age and an extra $100 due to a Level 3 disability.

John will ask that the contract be written for this amount, and will provide documentation of Tyrone's special needs. The state can agree or can argue that the learning disability is not severe enough to qualify beyond Level 2. If John and the state agency cannot agree on a final amount, John may ask for an impartial review of his case called a "fair hearing."

Eventually, John and the state agree on $475.00 per month. However, further testing reveals that Tyrone's learning disabilities are more serious than once thought. John takes this new documentation and uses it to re-negotiate a new contract at $500.00 per month.

Special Services

What about Special Services?

Service subsidies or special services are state-funded programs that come and go based on whether or not the funding is present. These services are extra aids that can be negotiated on top of Medicaid coverage and adoption subsidy. Special services vary from state to state. They may include day care, residential treatment, medical costs not covered under Medicaid, respite care, and more. Family circumstances and the child's special needs determine eligibility.

Federal law says that in addition to the child's level of disability, family circumstances can be taken into account during the negotiation process. "Family circumstances" is defined as the family's ability to incorporate the expense of the child's needs into the family budget. (A parent's income may not be used to determine qualification or subsidy dollar amount.) Changes in family circumstance such as losing a job, relocation to another state, and divorce, can also be cited when re-negotiating a contract.

Example (To Illustrate How to Negotiate Service Subsidies)
Negotiating Tyrone's Services

In addition to Medicaid and subsidy, Tyrone may qualify for up to 5 hours per month of respite care and 5 hours per week of tutoring, at state expense. The state decides to give John the maximum of each service because John is a single parent and because Tyrone's learning problems are severe. The amount and type of special services are negotiated on a case by case basis looking at the child's needs and the family's general circumstances (but not income).

Advocating for Your Child

When does the adoption subsidy end?

Most end when the child turns 18. (Certain disabled children may be able to qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at age 18 to keep Medicaid in force.) Some states will keep subsidies for certain children active until age 21, but this should be negotiated before the child turns 18.

Once an adoption assistance agreement is signed, it can be terminated at any time by parental request. However, the State may only suspend the contract under three circumstances, according to federal law:

the child has attained the age of 18 (or 21, in some cases),
the State determines that the adoptive parents are no longer legally responsible for support of the child, or
the State determines that the adoptive parents are no longer providing any support to the child.
Subsidies can continue if a child enters residential treatment as long as the parents remain responsible in some way for the child.

How do I prepare for a fair hearing?

Should negotiations break down, a family has the right to a fair hearing at no cost to them. To prepare for a hearing, download or print out the NACAC Fact Sheet on this topic. If your case is complex, NACAC may assign a volunteer to help you prepare. If the hearing officer rules against you, you can appeal the decision. The State will tell you how. Bear in mind that deadlines must be met. The amount of time you have to ask for an appeal is limited by State law.

What if I am uncomfortable with negotiating subsidy?

You are your child's advocate as well as his or her parent. If you do not advocate for your child, no one else will. Children with special needs qualify for these benefits only during childhood, a relatively short period. Certainly, parents have a right to forego adoption assistance, but parents with limited financial resources should not hesitate to negotiate on behalf of their children. Subsidies are not charity. They are your child's entitlement.So Unlike the SSI no matter what your assets are you can still get the max times how ever many children you get!!!!

On top of this there is 80,000 in

incentives under the 1997 Adoption and family safe act that are divided up between the social workers and adoptive parents. the adoptive parents get 6,000 of that at the "closing", I mean adoption. (LOL)