Crime/Court
Ennis Family files $6 million wrongful death lawsuit, citing excessive force by Warren County deputies
The Family of Ralph C. Ennis has filed a $6 million federal lawsuit claiming that excessive force by two Warren County Sheriff’s deputies during a traffic stop led to his death. The suit alleges that the deputies used excessive force against Ralph C. Ennis, 77, who died on April 15, less than two weeks after sustaining a head injury in an April 2 traffic stop by the Warren County Sheriff’s Department.
Ian R. Ennis, the son of the late Ralph C. Ennis and administrator of the estate, filed a civil lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia on August 8. Deputies Tyler Poe and Zachary Fadley are named as defendants.
Warrenton, Va. Attorney Susan Pierce, of the law firm Walker Jones, P.C. is co-counsel for Ennis, along with Richmond attorney Seth Carroll, of the Commonwealth Law Group.
Deputy Fadley is being represented by Fairfax attorney Alexander Francuzenko, a partner of law firm of Cook Craig & Francuzenko, PLLC. Deputy Poe is being represented by Carlene Booth Johnson, with the Perry Law Firm of Dillwyn, Virginia.
In separate responses to the lawsuit, both deputies deny the allegations and request a dismissal of the lawsuit. Poe’s co-counsel Carlene Booth Johnson filed a memorandum in support of dismissal of the suit on September 12, writing that, “While the Complaint conclusorily [SIC] asserts that plaintiff is bringing this action in his capacity as the Administrator of the Estate of Ralph Ennis, the Complaint does not offer a single fact supporting that assertion. The plaintiff has not shown when, where, or how he qualified as the Administrator of the Estate of Ralph Ennis, nor provided any facts or evidence showing that he properly qualified to bring this action.”
Johnson on Friday, September 23, filed a memorandum in the Harrisonburg court to further support Poe’s request to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that Ian Ennis had no standing to file the lawsuit.
Ralph Ennis, 77, died on April 15 in the care of Valley Health System’s Blue Ridge Hospice, in Winchester, 13 days after sustaining a head injury during an April 2 traffic stop in Warren County.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Manassas stated in an August 15 email to Royal Examiner that, “The cause of death is complications of Alzheimer disease, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, and hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The manner of death is natural.”
However, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Manassas is considering reopening the case, sources familiar with the case told Royal Examiner earlier this week, though Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) Administrative Deputy Arkuie Williams has not confirmed that information.
Despite the medical examiner’s initial ruling, the plaintiff claims it was the action of Deputies Fadley and Poe that cause his father’s death. The two-count complaint alleges that Poe and Fadley used excessive force in violation of Ralph Ennis’ Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable search and seizure.
The court document states, “The Fourth Amendment is applicable to the Commonwealth of Virginia under the Fourteenth Amendment. Defendants unreasonably used excessive force against Mr. Ennis when they effected their arrest by slamming the elderly man face first into his vehicle and then tackling him the ground after he was already restrained, causing a traumatic and ultimately fatal brain injury.
“No objectively reasonable law enforcement officer would have believed that the elderly and visibly confused Mr. Ennis posed any threat or significant risk of harm to himself or any other person. No objectively reasonable law enforcement officer would believe that the level of force used by the Defendants was necessary to subdue an elderly and visibly confused man during a routine traffic stop. As such, the Defendants violated Ralph Ennis’ clearly established constitutional rights under the Fourth Amendment. As a direct and proximate result of the Defendants actions, Ralph Ennis suffered the injuries described above, resulting in his death.”
The second count accuses Poe and Fadley of battery leading to Ralph Ennis’ wrongful death, in violation of Virginia law.
The complaint states, “Virginia Code § 8.01-50, et seq., establishes liability for the individuals when their wrongful acts result in the death of another person. At all relevant times, both Defendants had a duty to use only the amount of force necessary in subduing Mr. Ennis.
“The extensive injuries suffered by Mr. Ennis demonstrate the excessive force used to subdue a person who was complying with verbal commands, appeared elderly and confused, and posed no immediate threat to others.
“These actions constitute a battery under Virginia law. As a direct and proximate result of the Defendants battery against Ralph Ennis, Mr. Ennis suffered the injuries described above, resulting in his death.”
The complaint notes that Ralph Ennis was traveling southbound on Winchester Road and passed Warren County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Christopher Pontious, who was operating stationary radar, at approximately 1:20 a.m. on April 2.
Pontious reported that Ennis was traveling 63 mph in a 55-mph zone and that Ennis’ vehicle was swaying from side to side in its lane and had a problem with a taillight.
“Deputy Pontious radioed in that he was attempting to stop a vehicle and it had slowed down but was continuing towards Front Royal. After Deputy Pontious reported that Mr. Ennis passed several opportunities to pull over, he activated his vehicle siren. In reaction, Mr. Ennis slowed his vehicle to around 35 mph, but continued southbound towards Front Royal,” the complaint states.
The lawsuit cites events recorded by Pontious’ body camera; Deputy Pontious activated his body camera while following Mr. Ennis’ vehicle.
“Shortly after Deputy Pontius activated his siren, Mr. Ennis turned his vehicle into the parking lot of the Royal Farms gas station, located directly off Winchester Road at 260 Crooked Run Road, Front Royal, Virginia 22630.
“Mr. Ennis’ vehicle drove through the Royal Farms parking lot to an adjoining 7-11 parking lot, located at 251 Crooked Run Plaza, Front Royal, Virginia 22630, and pulled into a parking space.
“Deputy Pontious pulled up behind Mr. Ennis’ vehicle – blocking it in. He turned off his vehicle siren, but left the vehicle blue lights activated. Deputy Pontious exited his vehicle and began commanding for Mr. Ennis to “step out of the car,“ the lawsuit states.
The plaintiff’s filing continues, “Attempting to comply, Mr. Ennis then began to exit. However, he had only slightly opened his driver side door when Canine Officer Sergeant Gregory shouted a conflicting command of “Driver stay in the car! Follow our commands!” and notified Mr. Ennis of the presence of a canine officer, adding that “if you do not follow our commands, you will get bit!” At this point, Mr. Ennis started to close his door.
“Another officer on the scene then commanded for Mr. Ennis to “Get out of the car!” and “Get your hands up!” the complaint attests. At this point Mr. Ennis slowly opened his driver side door. Deputy Pontious then commanded for Mr. Ennis to “step out of the car!”
Mr. Ennis stepped out of his vehicle appearing “visibly confused and disoriented,” the complaint maintains.
Ralph Ennis tries to make sense of conflicting orders he is receiving from deputies on the scene of his April 2 traffic stop. Photos from WCSO Deputy Christopher Pontious body-cam footage filed with Ennis family lawsuit
“Deputy Pontious ordered Mr. Ennis to “face away from me,” “face 7-11,” and “to turn around!” while pointing behind Mr. Ennis. Mr. Ennis, who appeared to not hear or was generally confused by the multiple and sometimes conflicting commands, began to slowly walk away from his vehicle towards Deputy Pontious while holding his vehicle keys in his right hand,” the complaint states. Mr. Ennis continued to appear confused and disoriented, but complied with Deputy Pontious’ command to turn around and began walking back to the rear of his vehicle.
The complaint continues, “Deputy Pontious then ordered Mr. Ennis to “drop your keys!” and Mr. Ennis responded by turning around to face Deputy Pontious. In the video, Mr. Ennis appears to mouth the word “What?”
“At this time, Defendant Poe quickly rushed Mr. Ennis from behind, and without announcing his presence or giving Mr. Ennis any verbal command, violently grabbed Mr. Ennis and slammed Mr. Ennis’ face and body into the rear of Mr. Ennis’ truck.
“Mr. Ennis screamed out in a panic, “Wait a minute!” as the force of Defendant Poe violently slamming him into the vehicle caused Mr. Ennis’ baseball cap to fly off his head.”
The Warren County Sheriff’s Office official press release regarding this incident stated that: “Mr. Ennis continued failure to comply with the lawful orders to stop, resulted in a WSCO deputy approaching Mr. Ennis from behind, and grabbing his arms in an attempt to control Ennis and place him under arrest. The deputy continued to give him commands to stop resisting, drop the keys and place his hand behind his back as Mr. Ennis was escorted several feet away to the rear of his pickup truck,” the complaint states.
The complaint continues, “However, Deputy Pontious’ body camera footage clearly shows that Mr. Ennis was visibly confused and attempting to comply with all commands when Defendant Poe gave no verbal command or warning and slammed, not “escorted,” Mr. Ennis into the rear of his vehicle, causing significant injuries.”
“As Defendant Poe violently pressed Mr. Ennis against the rear of his vehicle, Defendant Fadley immediately rushed in from the side, and without announcing his presence or giving any verbal command, violently pushed and tackled Mr. Ennis and Defendant Poe to the pavement behind the vehicle,” the complaint says.
After having his head slammed into the cab of his truck by Tyler Poe, the first deputy to make physical contact with him, a second deputy, Zachary Fadley, charged the scene and took both Ennis and Deputy Poe to the parking lot pavement with Ennis on the bottom. Below, a pool of blood left where Ennis’ head hit the pavement.
“As Mr. Ennis was pushed and tackled towards the pavement, his legs were caught on his vehicle’s protruding tow hitch as he tumbled sideways with Officer Fadley’s entire body weight on top of him. Defendant Fadley issued his first verbal command – “Get on the ground!” –as Mr. Ennis’ head slams into the pavement,” the complaint maintains.
“While Defendants handcuffed Mr. Ennis on the ground, Mr. Ennis can be heard on Deputy Pontious’ body camera footage frantically pleading for help and crying out in extreme pain.”
The complaint included still images from the body camera to show Mr. Ennis on the ground directly after sustaining injuries to his face, head, and extremities, as well as the extent of the bleeding from his injuries. They are too graphic for publication.
The complaint continues, “Front Royal Police Department Corporal R.D. Lowery, who was also dispatched to the scene of the incident, arrived in time to observe the Defendants encounter with Mr. Ennis. In his report, Corporal Lowery (who was farther away from Mr. Ennis than the Defendants) described his initial impression of Mr. Ennis as appearing “elderly and confused.”
The complaint further states, “Corporal Lowery described his observations as follows: “[t]he Deputy (Defendant Poe) slammed the male into the camper top face first. I observed the male spit something out on the pavement just below his body. Another Deputy (Defendant Fadley) came from the side of the male while the Deputy had his hands behind his back. The male was pushed over but his legs caught the hitch on the back of the truck.”
The lawsuit continues, “As Corporal Lowery left the scene of the incident, his body camera footage captured him stating “that was f***king unjust and f***ing un-f***ing called for” and “Jesus Christ, oh that’s going to be …” before the video cuts out. Corporal Lowery’s subjective impression of the situation clearly demonstrates he believed that there was an excessive use of force against Mr. Ennis.”
After the altercation, Mr. Ennis was handcuffed, searched, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were called to the scene to tend to Mr. Ennis’ injuries. The complaint states that deputies found no weapons on Mr. Ennis.
The complaint continues, “There is no factual basis within the materials to indicate that Mr. Ennis gave any of the officers reason to believe he was armed. Mr. Ennis did not act in a threatening manner in any way. On the contrary, Mr. Ennis at all times presented as an elderly man who appeared confused and disoriented but attempting to comply with various commands in a disconcerting environment. “
Records indicate that Mr. Ennis was “completely sober at the time of the incident and the officer-issued breathalyzer rest returned a result of 0.00.”
Mr. Ennis was transported by an EMS (Emergency Medical Service) unit to Warren Memorial Hospital for treatment at approximately 2:15 a.m. The complaint states that: “Mr. Ennis presented at Warren Memorial Hospital with significant head trauma. Hospital staff reported that Mr. Ennis was “completely confused. He does not know where he is. He is not able to tell me the name of his son. He does not recall the altercation that led to his injury and hospitalization. He is not able to provide any further history.”
Emergency Department physicians diagnosed Ennis with a traumatic brain injury caused by the fall, specifically “a bleed in his brain known as a subarachnoid hemorrhage in the left parietal and occipital lobes” the complaint maintains.
Ennis was then transferred from Warren Memorial Hospital to Winchester Medical Center for the severity of his trauma, arriving at approximately 6:30 a.m. He was then diagnosed with “terminal intracerebral hemorrhage” the lawsuit maintains. His health continued to decline at the Winchester Hospital and his family opted to change his level of care to comfort or palliative care. Mr. Ennis was then transferred to Blue Ridge Hospice on April 14. 2022, for end-of-life care. He died from his injuries on April 15, 2022, the complaint states.
The investigation into the incident was referred to the Prince William Commonwealth’s Attorney office by Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney John Bell.
Prince William Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth wrote in a Tuesday night email to Royal Examiner that: “The investigation into this matter is on-going and therefore we cannot publicly comment on it. The case has been reassigned and is a high priority for this office. I do not have a time frame for when the investigation might be completed.”
Prince William Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth
The Assistant Prince William Commonwealth’s Attorney assigned to investigate the case, Teresa Polinske, recently resigned from Ashworth’s staff, which caused the investigation to lag until it was reassigned.
Deputy Poe continues to work at the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, though Deputy Fadley is no longer employed there. No information was provided regarding the circumstances of Fadley’s departure, other than it was referred to as a “personnel issue.” Both deputies were initially reassigned off the patrol unit, to desk or other non-interactional with the public duties in the wake of the Ennis incident.
Crime/Court
Federal Prosecutors Office Issues Release on McDonald Sentencing
Below is a Press Release issued by the Western District of Virginia Prosecutor’s Office on May 29, the day of Jennifer McDonald’s sentencing in the Harrisonburg federal courthouse. It offers the prosecution’s perspective on the nature of the former Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority Executive Director’s crimes centered on the unauthorized misdirection for personal use of EDA cash assets and acknowledges federal and state authorities work on the case.
Testimony at trial put that total misdirected to her personal use at between $5 million and $6.5 million. Here it is cited at $5.2 million, not coincidently the amount the prosecution asked for at Wednesday’s sentencing hearing and received from the court to be forfeited by McDonald as part of her sentencing. It was explained that “forfeiture” amount was separate from any restitution or court costs that might also be ordered by the court.
As readers will recall the total amount believed misdirected to fraudulent uses in the circa 2014-2018 EDA “financial scandal” was estimated at about $26 million. On paper in civil suits and out-of-court settlements the EDA has recovered around $20 million, tempered by an estimated $8 million in legal fees. However, most of the larger civil case jury verdicts of liability totaling around $20 million are being appealed by defendants (see the Royal Examiner “EDA in Focus” news category for details on those cases). To resolve pending civil liability claims against her, McDonald gave up an estimated $9 million in real estate held by one of her real estate LLC’s to the EDA.
Here is the Office of the Federal Prosecutor’s statement in its entirety:
Jennifer McDonald Used EDA Funds As Her ‘Personal Piggy Bank’
HARRISONBURG, Va. – The former executive director of the Economic Development Authority of Front Royal and Warren County (EDA), who was convicted in November of last year of stealing more than $5 million dollars in authority funds, was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison.
Jennifer Rae McDonald, 45, of Front Royal, Virginia, was convicted following a 9-week jury trial in November 2023 of seven counts of wire fraud, six counts of bank fraud, sixteen counts of money laundering, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The Western District of Va. Federal Courthouse in Harrisonburg where Jennifer McDonald was tried last year and sentenced this week. Below, McDonald on the job at EDA Board meeting with then-Chairman Patty Wines to her left. After her death, Wines became a key figure in McDonald’s defense narrative that there was a secret $6.5 million EDA payoff to her approved by Wines for not filing a sexual assault complaint against then high-ranking male County staff.
Jennifer McDonald, right, and then FR-WC EDA Board Chair Patty Wines on the job during earlier days.
“For more than four years, Jennifer McDonald used EDA funds as her personal piggy bank, diverting public funds to purchase real estate and to pay her personal expenses” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “Today’s sentence reflects how serious this office takes fraud and the misuse of public funds. I am thankful to the FBI and the Virginia State Police for the tireless work they did to untangle the web of lies spun by this defendant.”
“The FBI is committed to investigating elected officials who abuse their positions for personal gain,” Special Agent in Charge Stanley Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division said today. “I am proud of the work our team and partners did to uncover Ms. McDonald’s complex fraud scheme and to bring her to justice.”
The FBI and VSP on the scene at EDA headquarters on April 16, 2019, about four months after McDonald’s Dec. 20th resignation by email under increased scrutiny by her board. McDonald’s office and work computer were searched for evidence as a potential crime scene.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, McDonald was the Executive Director of the EDA, a public entity designed to attract and support businesses in Warren County and the Town of Front Royal. The EDA was overseen by a Board of Directors and supported by an administrative assistant, but at the center of the EDA was McDonald.
Beginning in 2014, McDonald began stealing money from the EDA and, for more than four years, McDonald used the bank accounts and credit facilities of the EDA to divert public funds to purchase real estate and to pay for her personal expenses. She falsified documents in order to mislead the EDA’s Board of Directors, external auditors, and Warren County and Front Royal government officials so she could continue her scheme.
When confronted by law enforcement and others, McDonald drafted fake loan documents, encouraged others to lie before a grand jury and fabricated an outrageous story, alleging the fraud was part of a “secret settlement” and invented more fake documents to cover-up her fraud.
In the end, McDonald pilfered the EDA’s bank accounts and is responsible for $5,201,329 in losses.
At trial, evidence was presented that at least $2.4 million of the money McDonald stole was used to fund her gambling – including net losses of more than $750,000.
In January 2018 McDonald posed in her office with what she told this reporter were winning receipts totaling about $1.8 million from playing the slot machines at Hollywood Casino at the Charles Town racetrack through the previous three years. Evidence at trial indicated her luck was going the other way, in part explaining her decision to misdirect EDA assets to her personal use, including high-dollar real estate transactions that were beginning to draw attention.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Virginia State Police investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Welsh and Rachel Swartz and Trial Attorney Andrea Broach are prosecuting the case for the United States. Updated May 29, 2024
Crime/Court
McDonald Sentenced to 14 Years in EDA ‘Financial Scandal’ Case, Will Remain Free Till Told to Report to Prison Board ‘Not Before’ June 24
After hearing slightly over two hours of prosecution and defense arguments in support of their conflicting sentencing recommendations – 22 years by the prosecution, 6 years by the defense – Western District of Virginia federal Judge Elizabeth K. Dillon went down the middle, sentencing former Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Jennifer McDonald to 14 years in prison for her role in the circa-2014 to 2018 EDA “financial scandal”. However, following a defense request that McDonald be allowed not to report to prison prior to June 18, and a request by lead prosecutor Sean Welsh that the court be reasonable in not extending imposition of the defendant’s imprisonment for too long a period, Judge Dillon granted the request that McDonald remain free on her existing bond conditions and self-report to prison authorities “not earlier than June 24th”. It was not clear whether a recent unanticipated hospital visit by McDonald this past weekend impacted that request. It was also confirmed by attorneys post hearing recess that per federal guidelines defendants are generally required to serve 85% of non-mandatory sentences, though how that standard is applied can vary from facility to facility. If our calculation is correct, full implementation could cut 2.1 years off the 47-year-old McDonald’s 14-year sentence.
An estimated $26 million was moved to unapproved or believed falsely presented uses during McDonald’s leadership of the Town-County EDA. Trial testimony indicated that as much as $6.5 million of that went directly to McDonald’s personal use. On November 1, 2023 a federal court jury of six men and six women found McDonald guilty on all 34 criminal counts she was charged with, including bank fraud (10 counts), wire fraud (7 counts), money laundering (16), and aggravated identity theft (1 count). Judge Dillon later overturned four of those convictions citing inadequate evidence by statute.
Jennifer McDonald has about a month before she must again dress in incarceration garb. Below is the Harrisonburg federal courthouse where she was sentenced to 14 years on Wednesday, May 29. Royal Examiner File Photos
The first phase of what was initially said to be a three-part sentencing hearing was held on April 9, with part 2 initially forecast to be held within a week, leading to a sentencing date then being set after the court had time to review submitted arguments. But with a month-and-a-half delay to Phase 2, it appeared the court had sufficient time to review applicable case law in anticipation of those Phase 2 arguments leading to her sentencing decision coming at the conclusion of those Wednesday, May 29th arguments.
As previously reported, after inheriting the case from two state prosecutors offices, Warren County (recusal due to staff work familiarity with some defendants) and Rockingham County (complexity, time involvement), on August 25, 2021, a 10th Western District of Virginia Federal Grand Jury handed down 34 federal criminal indictments against McDonald on the charges cited above. McDonald was initially arrested and charged criminally at the state level in mid-2019.
Also during Wednesday’s hearing, McDonald was hit with a series of financial penalties. Those included $5.2 million ($5,201,329 to be precise) forfeiture of assets which the prosecution sought, what appeared to be $3,000 in court costs, as well as a “Restitution” amount cited at $2.7 million.
While a statement of financial impacts on the EDA was cited as submitted, and quite an amount of time was spent on arguments about the financial and governmental impacts of McDonald’s crimes related to the illicit movement of EDA assets, only one person rose to the court’s call for impact statements from “victims” of her crimes. That person, perhaps ironically, was ITFederal principal Truc “Curt” Tran. Tran and his company have been cited as the largest single beneficiary of illicitly moved “financial scandal” EDA assets at $12 million alleged to have been moved to it under “false pretenses” for re-development of 30 acres of the former Avtex property. Those false pretenses appeared to be publicized access to about $40 million in federal government contracts, evidence later indicated Tran’s company only had a right to bid on, and none of which was apparently won. Readers may recall one of this reporter’s first stories at the newly formed Royal Examiner in mid-2016 was that the 30-acre parcel publicly discussed for purchase by ITFederal at $2.1 million, was gifted to Tran and his company for one dollar behind closed meeting doors. It might also be recalled that former U.S. Sixth District of Virginia Congressman Bob Goodlatte championed Tran and ITFederal as outstanding economic development partners for this community.
“Jennifer, Jennifer, Jennifer, what have you done,” Tran began from the courtroom podium, looking directly at McDonald to his left at the defense table with her federal court-appointed attorneys Andrea Harris and Abigail Thibeault. One of McDonald’s convictions was of “Aggravated Identity Theft” for allegedly using Tran’s name as an interested party in one of the later-discovered-to-be fraudulent real estate transactions. Tran did cite that transaction of the time – “I still don’t know where the Buck Mountain property is,” he told the court, pointedly looking at McDonald.
However, twice Judge Dillon had to caution Tran to return to impacts of that real estate transaction in which his name was used without his knowledge when he appeared to pivot to blame McDonald for his lost government contracts to enable the Avtex site development. After the second caution, Tran ended his impact statement. Tran was found liable for over $12 million to the EDA in one civil liability case heard in Warren County Circuit Court. His finding of liability is on appeal, along with several other high-dollar EDA civil case defendants.
Crime/Court
POLICE: 7 Day FRPD Arrest Report 5-13-2024
Front Royal Police Department arrest report for the past 7 days:
Crime/Court
Chicago Man Arrested After High-Speed Pursuit on I-81 in Virginia, Charged with Assault and DUI
A Chicago man is in custody after fleeing from law enforcement on Saturday (May 4). Marco A. Cruz-Monroy, 27, faces multiple charges in Frederick County, including assault on a law enforcement officer and driving under the influence of drugs (DUI/DUID).
Around 9:45 a.m., motorists on I-81 reported a Dodge pickup driving recklessly, with objects being tossed from the vehicle. Virginia State Police located the truck near the 304-mile marker and attempted to stop it for reckless driving. Despite initially slowing and moving to the shoulder, the truck sped off, prompting a pursuit.
During the chase, the Dodge intentionally rammed a trooper’s vehicle, forcing it off the road. The pursuit continued to the Exit 315 ramp, where Cruz-Monroy’s truck struck a civilian vehicle, causing both vehicles to crash. Cruz-Monroy then barricaded himself in his truck, refusing to comply with commands before eventually surrendering.
While being evaluated by EMS, Cruz-Monroy became combative and bit a trooper, who suffered minor injuries and was treated at Winchester Medical Center. Cruz-Monroy is now in custody at Northwest Adult Detention Center, held without bond, with additional charges pending.
No civilians were injured during the chase or the crash.
Crime/Court
McDonald Criminal Convictions Sentencing Hearing, Part 2, Set for Late May
In the wake of the April 9, Part One Sentencing Hearing of former Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Jennifer McDonald, the website court calendar of the 10th Western District of Virginia has finally posted a date for Part Two of that hearing. That date is Wednesday, May 29, 2024, on the 10 a.m. docket in the Harrisonburg federal courthouse where McDonald was convicted of 30 criminal counts related to the FR-WC EDA “financial scandal” circa 2014 to 2018. Those who have followed that story since it began unraveling, including on these pages from the fall of 2016 to late 2018, will recall an estimated $26-million in EDA assets was moved to unauthorized or what is now believed to be fraudulently presented uses. Trial testimony indicated McDonald moving about $6.5 million to her personal use unauthorized by the then EDA Board of Directors.
As reported in our coverage of that April 9 hearing, Part Two will hear Judge Elizabeth K. Dillon’s rulings on a number of objections filed by both the prosecution and defense counsels to the precedence of evidence submitted by the other side in written summaries to the court leading up to the April 9th start of McDonald’s sentencing hearing. Also argued on April 9 were “Forfeiture” of defendant McDonald assets, “Restitution”, and “Special Conditions” being sought at sentencing from both the prosecution and defense. While Judge Dillon ruled on a number of these objections on April 9, she took some under advisement, seeking written support from both sides to their motions arguments.
The federal courthouse in Harrisonburg, where final pre-sentencing arguments will be heard on May 29. At that Part 2 hearing, a date will be set by Judge Dillon for Part 3, when Jennifer McDonald is expected to be sentenced from 6 to 22 years in prison on her jury convictions on 30 criminal counts related to the estimated $26-million EDA ‘financial scandal’ during her executive director leadership. Royal Examiner File Photos Roger Bianchini
In addition to those rulings, prosecution and defense counsel are expected to make final arguments in support of their sentencing proposals, and Judge Dillon will set a date for Part Three of the Sentencing Hearing. Part Three is when the 47-year-old McDonald is anticipated to find out the court’s ruling on arguments for relative leniency to prison sentencing guidelines, six years, by her legal team versus the prosecution’s high-end request. The prosecution is seeking a 22-year sentence with 24 months sought for an Aggravated Identity Theft conviction of McDonald regarding the use of Truc “Curt” Tran’s name in one involved “financial scandal” real estate transaction, tacked on to a total of 240 months (20 years) being sought on McDonald’s other 29 convictions on fraud and money laundering counts.
Crime/Court
Major Online Child Protection Operation Nets Arrest in Warren County
In a crackdown on internet crimes against children, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Northern Virginia/DC Metro Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, has announced the arrest of Steven C. Sherman, a 57-year-old man from Inwood, WV. This arrest is part of a broader effort to combat the online solicitation of minors in the region.
Name: Steven C. Sherman – Description: 6’06” white male, blue eyes, and red hair – Address: Inwood, WV – Felony Offenses:
§18.2-374.3. Use of communications systems to facilitate certain offenses involving children. (x3 counts) Photo Courtesy of Eastern Regional Jail
The operation, which began covertly on February 28, 2024, involved undercover officers posing as minors online to identify and apprehend individuals attempting to exploit children. Mr. Sherman reportedly initiated unsolicited contact with an investigator who was posing as a juvenile under the age of 15. Over the course of their communications, he allegedly requested lewd photos and engaged in the transmission of obscene materials, believing he was interacting with a young girl.
On April 16, 2024, following a detailed investigation and with the assistance of the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, Mr. Sherman was arrested without incident and is currently held at the Eastern Regional Jail. Facing serious charges for his actions, he appeared before a magistrate and was ordered to be held without bond, pending extradition to Virginia. His court date is May 9, 2024, at the Warren County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
The Warren County Sheriff’s Office has expressed gratitude towards the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office for their support in the operation and emphasized the importance of inter-agency cooperation in tackling such critical issues. The community is also encouraged to come forward with any information related to soliciting or exploiting minors by contacting Criminal Investigations Sergeant M.R. Ramey at (540) 635-7100 or via email at mramey@warrencountysheriff.org.
This case highlights the ongoing risks and challenges posed by online interactions and the importance of vigilance in protecting vulnerable populations, especially children, from exploitation. The Warren County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to fighting against internet crimes targeting children and urges the public to report any suspicious activities.
As this case progresses, the community hopes for a resolution that reinforces the safety and security of its children and serves as a deterrent to others who might exploit the internet’s anonymity for harmful purposes.
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