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Courts and Crime

  • Bulletin update: Fire damages home on Longwood Ave.

    Crews from several area fire departments were still on the scene of a fire at 2 a.m. Sunday morning at 719 Longwood Ave. in Bedford, a fire that began late Saturday night.

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  • Lynchburg man pleads guilty to computer solicitation

    Rogers, 38, of Lynchburg could spend a long time in prison after pleading no contest, in Bedford County Circuit Court last week, to four computer solicitation charges. According to Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Wes Nance, each of the charges carries a sentence of five to 30 years in prison, with a mandatory five year sentence.

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  • Karl enters pleas in child molestation case

        Faced with three charges of aggravated sexual battery against three girls, Douglas Earl Karl Jr, 31, of Amherst, chose to make Alford pleas in Bedford County Circuit Court, Tuesday.
        An Alford plea is when a defendant, while maintaining his innocence, pleads guilty due to the evidence the prosecution has against him. He will serve 18 months in prison as a result of the plea agreement.
        “I plead guilty as it’s in my best interest,” said Karl to the charges.

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  • Trailer, tent stolen from Big Otter Mill; reward offered for recovery

        A reward is being offered for the recovery of items stolen from the Big Otter Mill last week.
        It is believed that sometime between Thursday, Nov. 14, and Friday afternoon, Nov. 15, a car trailer was stolen from the Mill, located on Big Island Highway, north of Liberty High School. Stolen was a white, 24’ x 8.5’, dual axel car trailer. Inside was a 60’ x 30’ tent with ropes and poles. The thief apparently cut the security lock and pulled the trailer away with a sizable truck.

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  • 60-year-old woman guilty of embezzling money from Witt Mechanical

        A 60-year-old Lynchburg woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzling more than $100,000 from Witt Mechanical in Bedford over a four-year period beginning in 2009.
        Vicki Elkins McPhearson entered guilty pleas in Bedford County Circuit Court to three counts of embezzlement and three counts of money laundering.

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  • Bedford man guilty of distributing marijuana

        A 41-year-old Bedford man pleaded no contest in Bedford County Circuit Court Tuesday to two counts of distributing marijuana.

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  • Bedford man to serve six months on carnal knowledge conviction

        A 24-year-old Bedford man pleaded guilty to having sexual contact with a girl who was 14 years old at the time of the offense.
        Duston Glynn Holdren entered his plea Tuesday in Bedford County Circuit Court to the felony count of carnal knowledge for an incident that occurred in November 2010. A second charge was set aside and not prosecuted.

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  • Man to spend 3 years in prison for break-ins

        A Bedford man who broke into the homes of three retired Bedford residents pleaded guilty Friday to six felony counts in connection with the break-ins.
        Adam Oldfield, 32, was arrested after he broke into the home of one of the residents who was home at the time. He had busted down the door, and when he was discovered in the kitchen by the resident at her home, Oldfield told her he was there looking for a job. Oldfield left and was later found by police which led them to connect him to some open breaking and entering cases in the area.

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  • 3 women convicted in welfare fraud cases

        Three recent convictions in connection with welfare fraud charges have been registered in Bedford Circuit Court. Those cases include:

    Sabrina Farmer
        Sabrina Farmer, 36, of Bedford pleaded guilty and was convicted of the amended misdemeanor charge of making a false report to law enforcement in Bedford Circuit Court. She was originally charged with two felonies, one for welfare fraud and one for making a false application for assistance.

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  • Man gets 12 months on child porn charges

        Jamey Otis Baker Jr. didn’t want to go to jail. He’d spent a little time there prior to receiving bond after his arrest in December 2012. He didn’t want to go back.
        But Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Wes Nance felt Baker’s crimes justified jail time. Bedford County Circuit Court Judge James Updike agreed, sentencing Baker to 12 months of active jail time of a 10-year sentence for the possession of child pornography.

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