FORMER RITCHIE CO. DEPUTY INDICTED ON NINE COUNTS - Falsifying And Embezzlement Of Funds, WVU-P Employee Embezzles $54,000

(01/31/2015)

A former Ritchie County deputy sheriff has been indicted on nine counts related to falsifying accounts and embezzlement from Ritchie County. James Ray Asbury, according to the indictment, while an officer did allegedly feloniously alter or mutilate records to conceal the true state of the records of the county. Asbury's indictment indicates he altered his time sheet to receive unauthorized disbursements from the payroll account of Ritchie County. The embezzlement charge is related to his extraction of funds from the county on more than one occasion to allegedly obtain funds for his personal use. Special prosecutor was Laura Pickens. A former West Virginia University at Parkersburg employee is facing up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to using WVU-P funds for personal expenses. Kevin Francis Offenberger is scheduled to be sentenced in April. He pleaded guilty this week in Wood County Circuit Court to felony fraudulent scheme and felony use of a purchase card. Assistant prosecuting attorney Patrick Lefebure said the man used a university-issued purchase card for about $54,000 in personal expenses between January 2009 and October 2013.

Hur Herald ®from Sunny Cal The information on these pages, to the extent the law allows, remains the exclusive property of Bob Weaver and Dianne Weaver The Hur Herald. All information may be freely used but must not be sold or used in any type of commercial endeavor, or used on any web site without the express permission of the owners ©Bob and Dianne Weaver, The Hur Herald, 1999, 2000, 2001