Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 4, 1995 TAG: 9501040088
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Judith C. Dean, 49, was indicted Tuesday by the Montgomery County grand jury on a single count of embezzlement. The indictment charges that Dean embezzled more than $200 from the country club on or before May 28, 1993.
The indictment provides no other specifics of the case that state police believe they have formed against Dean.
But Commonwealth's Attorney Phil Keith said the amount of money involved is less than $5,000.
Keith said he and state police believe Dean paid her federal income taxes in May 1993 by writing a check on the club's account. The check was for less than $2,000, Keith said.
Keith said the other $3,000 involves other allegations that are still under investigation and on which he did not want to elaborate.
The investigation of the alleged embezzlement was hampered by the fact that most of the club's records went up in flames, along with most of the building, when it burned Feb. 27.
It "hasn't helped any with all the books being burned up," Keith said. "You can't run much of an investigation of finances without the books ... We just have to stick with the very specific incidents we can prove."
The allegations in the indictment are backed up by copies of canceled checks, Keith said.
Stan Musser, president of the country club, said last month that he was vigorously pursuing the prosecution of Dean on both the arson and embezzlement charges.
"I have called Phil [Keith] several times, and I have given him checks that she has cashed," Musser said.
Musser said the club hopes to begin rebuilding soon and open its new facilities by August.
Dean's lawyer, Dick Davis of Radford, said Tuesday evening that he had heard an indictment was forthcoming but he had no comment on the allegation.
Dean was scheduled to go to trial on the arson charge this month, but the trial has been delayed until March.
The continuance was necessary because Dean will undergo a comprehensive mental evaluation now that Davis has filed notice that he intends to use an insanity defense, Keith said. Davis also had a scheduling conflict with the original January court date.
During a preliminary hearing last May, sheriff's deputies testified that Dean was found sitting outside a maintenance shed on the country club grounds hours after the fire was reported and that she confessed to setting it.
Authorities say they also found in Dean's vehicle letters and notes in which she admitted setting the fire.
Dean, as overseer of the club's budget, felt pressure and was blaming herself for some of our financial problems,'' then-president Chuck Hartman said after the fire.
Memo: NOTE: A shorter version ran in the Metro edition.