News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2008
In matters prosecuted by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia:
SEVERAL PLEAD GUILTY IN TRI-STATE STOLEN CHECK SCHEME
Huntington, WV – WALTER PLUMLEY, 31 of Chesapeake Ohio, CATHERINE SCARBERRY 39, of Huntington WV, LELAND THOMAS 25, of Kentucky, and JENNIFER GOTHARD, 28, previously from Huntington WV, pled guilty yesterday before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers to conspiracy to possess and utter forged securities.
At her plea hearing, Scarberry admitted that while employed as a custodian at the St. James Building in Huntington, WV in 2003, she stole pre-printed, blank checks from the offices of two businesses and two attorneys. Plumley accompanied Scarberry to the office building. Both Scarberry and Plumley admitted to forging the checks and recruiting several others to negotiate the checks at businesses and banks in WV, Ohio and Kentucky. Gothard and Thomas admitted to passing numerous forged checks at business and banks and splitting the proceeds with Scarberry and Plumley.
The loss resulting from the criminal activity is in excess of $21,000. Sentencing for Scarberry and Gothard is scheduled for December 8, 2008. Plumley and Thomas are scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2008. Each defendant faces a term of imprisonment of up to 5 years, supervised release of 3 years, and an order of restitution. The Huntington Police Department and United States Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Susan M. Robinson is handling the prosecution.