BUCKHANNON, WV—Former West Virginia Division of Highways supervisor Barry D. Thompson, 49, of Mr. Clare, West Virginia, admitted that he lied to the State Police, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced today.

Today in the Magistrate Court of Upshur County, Thompson entered guilty pleas to two counts of providing false information to a West Virginia State Trooper. Thompson, who is presently under federal indictment for lying to a federal agent, has agreed to cooperate with federal authorities in their ongoing investigation into the WV Division of Highways Equipment Division. If Thompson fully cooperates, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will dismiss the pending federal indictment.

During the federal investigation into the Division of Highways, Thompson denied any knowledge that state employees had misused state resources to repair vehicles that were no longer owned by the state. However, Thompson admitted today that he instructed at least one state employee, at state expense and on state time, to repair a dump truck that had previously been sold at public auction. Thompson was also present when a state employee was directed to travel in his state issued vehicle, on state time, to purchase a replacement muffler for the aforementioned dump truck. The muffler did not fit and Thompson exchanged it, receiving a refund for the returned muffler. Both mufflers were sold at a discounted rate normally provided to the Division of Highways.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Public Corruption Unit. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, State Police, and State Commission on Special Investigations led the inquiry. Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Parr prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

Upshur County Magistrate Juanita Adams sentenced Thompson to one year of probation.

To report public corruption in your community, call the West Virginia Public Corruption Hotline at 855-WVA-FEDS or e-mail wvafeds@usdoj.gov.