This photo was taken of Apollo Nida, husband of The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Phaedra Parks, when he was paroled on May 28, 2009 after serving nearly six years of an 18-year sentence for racketeering stemming from a crime committed in 1997. Here are the details of the crime from the appeal:

A Newton County grand jury indicted Eddie James Lee Graham, Apollo Nida, and four other individuals on a 20 count indictment alleging violation of the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and multiple counts of theft by receiving stolen property, forgery in the first degree, sale or possession of a vehicle from which the vehicle identification number (VIN) had been removed, and possession of counterfeit insurance identification. Graham and Nida were tried together with co-defendant Melvin Thomas, Sr. Graham was convicted on the RICO count as well as one count of theft by receiving and three counts of the VIN offense. Nida was convicted on the RICO count.

Here, the evidence showed that Graham sold four stolen vehicles to residents of Newton County and provided false Ohio certificates of title to the purchasers. After the titles were registered in Newton County, the certificates were recognized as forgeries by an employee of the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicle Safety (GDMVS). A GDMVS investigator who specialized in auto crime title fraud testified that the forged certificates of title were manufactured from copies of a single valid Ohio certificate of title in the name of William Spearman. Virginia Department of Motor Vehicle records showed a Virginia driver’s license issued in the name of William W. Spearman, but with Nida’s photograph on it.

Defendant Gerald Rillie, who testified at trial under an agreement with the State, testified that he researched “clean” VINs and provided the numbers to Nida for attachment to stolen vehicles. Rillie testified that Nida provided the forged VIN decal that was found in the Tahoe sold in Newton County. Rillie also identified a handwritten list or chart that he gave to the police, showing the organization of the car theft ring and Nida’s place in it as the man “to get the numbers done.” This evidence amply demonstrates that Graham and Nida committed predicate acts of theft by receiving, forgery, and possession of vehicles with false VINs, several of which occurred in Newton County.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 23rd, 2010 at 11:57 pm. Click HERE to see the full post.