LOGAN A father and son entered pleas Wednesday in Logan Circuit Court to charges alleging the duo misused fire department funds for personal purposes.
Former Chapmanville Volunteer Fire Department Chief Thomas Perry and his son Cody Perry both entered Kennedy pleas to charges following an investigation by the West Virginia State Auditor Office.
A Kennedy plea allows a defendant to maintain innocence, but concedes enough evidence exists for a conviction if the case were presented to a jury of their peers.
Thomas Perry's plea was for the charge conspiracy to commit fraud and faces one to five years imprisonment. Cody Perry's plea was for embezzlement and faces one to ten years in prison. The auditor’s office says they are also requesting a restitution of $16,000 for Thomas Perry and restitution of $38,000 for Cody to be included in the sentence.
According to indictments handed down last fall, the offenses occurred between 2015 and 2021. The Perrys were indicted on five counts: two counts each of embezzlement, two counts each of fraudulent schemes and one count each of conspiracy.
Sentencing has been set for July sixth.