Mayor Carl Hutcherson: Soon to Face New Challenges

Mayor Carl Hutcherson made his State of the City Address yesterday in tears. He quoted Surpreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, "I'd like them to say he did the best the could with what he had."

On April 25th, his son is scheduled for a jury trial for drug charges that could potentially result in a long prison sentence. And the Mayor continues to have his own legal problems.

This from UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE:

January 26, 2006

LYNCHBURG MAYOR RE-INDICTED ON FRAUD, FALSE STATEMENT AND OBSTRUCTION OFFENSES

United States Attorney John L. Brownlee announced today that Mayor Carl B. Hutcherson, Jr., age 61, of Lynchburg, Virginia, was indicted yesterday by a federal Grand Jury sitting in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Hutcherson was charged in a seven count Superseding Indictment with Mail Fraud; Theft of Social Security Benefits; False Statements to an FBI Agent and the Bank of the James; and, Obstruction of Justice. The Superseding Indictment mirrors the original December 1, 2005 Indictment, except the time frame for the Obstruction offense in Count Seven has been expanded beyond the initial submission to the Grand Jury – it is now charged that Hutcherson’s pattern of obstruction began with his procuring the false creation of the Board meeting minutes, continued with his falsely stating to the Federal Bureau of Investigation that legitimate Board Minutes existed, and concluded with his causing the minutes to be delivered, by his attorney, to the Grand Jury.

If convicted on all counts, the maximum penalty faced by the defendant is 105 years imprisonment and/or a fine of $2.5 million.

The investigation of the case was conducted by Special Agent Christian Pettyjohn for the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Special Agent Carl Bond for the Virginia State Police; and, Resident Agent in Charge Rob Childress for the Social Security Administration. Criminal Chief Thomas J. Bondurant, Jr., and Assistant United States Attorney William Gould will prosecute the case.

A Grand Jury indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

To read all our posts on Carl Hutcherson go here.

[Lynchburg]
[Virginia]
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