Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 8, 1994 TAG: 9410100038
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-9 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Melvin Fred Golden, 46, of Christiansburg, was charged with grand larceny earlier this year after Radford police investigated complaints by two city employees of a possible tire theft.
Golden's arrest was indirectly connected to a state police investigation of allegations against city departments of theft, bid rigging and conflict of interest. The allegations were made by an anonymous letter writer.
But after reviewing the findings of the investigation, Phil Keith, Montgomery County's commonwealth's attorney, said that if any violations occurred other than the offense Golden was charged with, they were so minor or unintentional that they did not warrant prosecution.
Circuit Judge Duane Mink suspended a five-year prison sentence but placed Golden on probation for two years.
At a July probable cause hearing, Commonwealth's Attorney Randal Duncan said one employee told police he saw Golden put two tires on the bed of a truck and leave the garage after talking with a man. Another employee said she later saw that man driving up Interstate 81 with the two tires on his own truck bed.
The person who received the tires from Golden was not aware the tires were stolen city property, Duncan said. The man said he only had asked Golden what type tires he should buy for a dump truck.
Golden's attorney, Peter Theodore of Blacksburg, said after court Friday that the theft occurred during a time when Golden was having difficulty paying for his wife's medication for a serious illness. Golden resigned after the charges were filed, Theodore said.
by CNB