Carl Hutcherson: Perspective From the Prosecution

Here is what the Federal prosecutors had to say about the case against Mayor Carl Hutcherson:


From the office of United States Attorney John L. Brownlee

May 2, 2006

LYNCHBURG MAYOR CARL HUTCHERSON CONVICTED OF DEFRAUDING SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY RECIPIENTS AND A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION, MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS TO FEDERAL OFFICIALS AND BANK REPRESENTATIVES, AND OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE

United States Attorney John L. Brownlee announced today that Carl B. Hutcherson, age 62, of Lynchburg, Virginia, was convicted of defrauding two Social Security disability recipients, defrauding a charitable organization, making false statements, and obstructing a federal investigation by providing false information to a federal Grand Jury.

“The evidence showed beyond a reasonable doubt that Carl Hutcherson was taking advantage of citizens in our community that he had sworn to help and protect. In addition, Mr. Hutcherson was taking from his own charity in order to try to deal with his own financial difficulties,” said United States Attorney John Brownlee.

Hutcherson was convicted after a five day jury trial in United States District Court in Roanoke.
According to evidence presented by Criminal Chief Tom Bondurant and Assistant United States Attorney Bill Gould, Mr. Hutcherson had financial difficulties, and owed more than $100,000 to the Internal Revenue Service, and had failed to maintain balances in banking accounts that resulted in more than $22,000 in bank overdraft fees.

In response to his financial problems, Hutcherson solicited a donation from Falwell Ministries to Hutcherson’s own charity, the Trinity New Life Community Development Corporation. The evidence showed that a donation of $32,500.00 was made to Trinity New Life Community Development Corporation, where Hutcherson was the Chairperson, Director and Registered Agent.

It is established in the Articles of Incorporation of Trinity New Life Community Development Corporation that “[n]o part of the property or net earning of the Corporation shall inure to the benefit of or to be distributable to the Corporation’s directors, officers, or any private persons.”

However, the evidence showed that Hutcherson almost immediately took all but $1,000 from the charity’s account and put it in his own accounts. Hutcherson later used this money to pay a portion of his delinquent federal taxes.

The evidence also showed that Hutcherson was the representative payee for two social security disability recipients. Hutcherson took the social security money from the victims’ accounts and used it to purchase a stereo for himself, a mattress for another person, and to pay for his own cable bill. The evidence also showed that Hutcherson would write checks from the victims’ accounts to himself.

When Hutcherson was confronted with the evidence that he had stolen money from his charity, he provided false meeting minutes and a false list of a board of directors to investigators.

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

No sentencing date has been set.