September 23, 2014

Former Fayette Sheriff’s Department Employee Sentenced for Theft of Concealed Weapons Fees

CHARLESTON, WV—United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that Cheryl Gray, 44, of Hilltop, West Virginia was sentenced today in federal court in Charleston to one year and one day in federal prison for mail fraud involving concealed weapons permits. Gray is a former employee of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department where her duties included the collection of application fees for concealed weapons permits, and creating and submitting a list of permits issued by Fayette County to the West Virginia State Police. Gray previously pled guilty to mail fraud in June of 2014. At the plea hearing, Gray admitted that she stole the cash payments made by applicants for concealed weapons permits. She hid the theft by creating incomplete applicant lists and submitting them to the West Virginia State Police, omitting close to 400 names of applicants who had paid in cash. The fraud, which continued for more than six months, resulted in a combined loss to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department and West Virginia State Police of approximately $40,000.

The West Virginia State Police, Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation.

Defendant was sentenced by United States District Court Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.