Eugene Smith was accused of embezzlement in October 2007. Smith pled guilty to embezzlement December 10th, 2007. He was sentenced to federal prison by a judge Rosemary M Collyer on May 8th, 2008. (US District court)

Why isn't he in custody? He drew six months of confinement -- he should have started his term by now, and should still be marking up the walls of a prison somewhere.

But he has not started to serve his time. He has certainly not come and gone -- been put in and been released. I'm looking at data from the federal "Bureau of Prisons" that indicates he's never been processed into the system.

Now, sometimes, a convicted felon makes a deal with the courts and prosecuters to give evidence against a "bigger fish". By turning over what he knows about other criminal activities, a felon may stay out of prison, or get a reduced sentence, or even enter a "witness protection program" and start a new life under a new name.

It happens.

But what could Eugene P Smith possibly know about other criminals who might be of interest to federal investigators?