W.V. Chief Justice Misused Fleet

West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Allen Loughry was indicted on 22 charges of fraud, providing false statement, and witness tampering after investigators identified at least 14 instances in which Loughry misused Supreme Court fleet vehicles.

According to court documents, Loughry falsely and fraudulently claimed mileage for trips in which he drove a fleet vehicle and used a government credit card for gasoline; used government vehicles and government credit cards for personal use under the false pretense that he was conducting official business; and lied to the other justices of the Supreme Court about his vehicle usage. In addition, investigators say Loughry attempted to conceal his fraudulent conduct by lying about his actions to investigators and others, deflecting attention away from himself by accusing others of malfeasance.

Court documents state that Loughry did not always reserve fleet vehicles before he used them, and he rarely provided a destination for recordkeeping when taking a fleet vehicle out. On several occasions, these vehicles were taken during weekends or holidays. In some cases, he would use fleet vehicle to visit family or to attend book signings for his book about government corruption.

Loughry was indicted on 22 counts, including 18 counts of fraud, three counts of false statement to a federal agent, and one count of witness tampering.

In a statement, W.V. Governor Jim Justice called on Loughry to spare the state any further embarrassment and resign immediately. Loughry was elected to Supreme Court in 2012 and his 12-year term ends in 2025.

Related: W.V. to Create Fleet Management Division