Friday, May 20, 2011
EKB Capsule News...West Virginia...3-21-'11
- The Kanawha County Commission filed an order Friday seeking to shutdown Secret Pleasures a day after State Police confiscated more than $100,000 worth of illegal bath salts and synthetic drug products from the store in Jefferson. The commission originally tried to block the opening of the operation based on it's adult entertainment theme. Store owner Kenneth Holliday says he bought the "incense" product from a Florida distributor and that the manufacturer told him the ingredients complied with state law. The Legislature this year approved a bill targeting products such as K2, Spice and bath salts, chemicals meant to produce effects similar to cocaine and marijuana.
- Boone County Career and Technical Center Principal Keith Phipps and teacher Jack Turley were arrested Friday morning and charged with the illegal purchase of pseudoephedrine. Jack Turley will face four counts related to the manufacture of methamphetamine and Keith Phipps faces a charge from Kanawha County for purchasing more cold medicine than the law allows. Troopers say the men bought meth and then smoked it in Phipps' office.
- Former Charleston Attorney 65 year old John Lutz Jr. pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of forgery, two counts of uttering and one count of committing a fraudulent scheme. Lutz admitted that, from July 2009 to September 2010, he forged and cashed checks belonging to Charles Gardner. Lutz was originally indicted on approximately 80 counts of forgery, uttering, fraudulent schemes, and obtaining by false pretenses. Lutz lost his license to practice law after forging the signature of former Kanawha County Circuit Judge Irene Berger on a scheduling order. Lutz was sentenced to one to 10 years in prison, which will be suspended if Lutz can successfully complete a drug treatment program. He currently is on the waiting list to enroll in the Legends program in Princeton. Lutz was ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution to Gardner.
- Huntington Police arrested Richard Maze, 23, of Huntington, and his step-brother Justin Mccloud, 25, of Ceredo and charged them with breaking and entering. Police say, around 1:00 A.M. Friday morning, they heard an alarm coming from the U.S. Equipment distribution center and went to check it out. Maze and Mccloud were seen running from the building. They were stopped after a short car chase.
- Travis Ray Goodwin, 21, one of four men charged with beating 23 year old Ben Craig, a college student who was visiting Sissonville last March, has been given a sentence of six months of home confinement followed by two years of probation and 50 hours of community service.
- Michael Turner and Billy Woosley, two McDowell County men, were charged Friday afternoon with conspiracy to deliver and the delivery of a controlled substance after West Virginia State Police in Boone County placed an order for synthetic drugs after busting the Hatfield-McCoy Mart near Danville Sunday. Troopers say, when the order arrived Friday afternoon, Turner, Woosley and their truck hauling K-2 were all detained. Police seized $1,400 worth of drugs, along with cash.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:43 PM 
