THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 2, 1995 TAG: 9507020052
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
The Tidewater AIDS Crisis Taskforce is appealing to Norfolk's commonwealth's attorney to make certain a former TACT director charged with forgery is extradited from Florida and stands trial in Virginia.
David W. Gillooly, 39, is being held without bond in the Brevard County Jail in Melbourne, Fla., on four check forgery charges. He is not charged with domestic violence, however, as previously reported.
Norfolk Police filed the forgery charges in 1993 after Gilloolly allegedly signed the names of members of TACT's board of trustees on checks worth $6,500.
Gillooly vanished that year and TACT officials charge that he mismanaged $60,000 in agency funds, leaving the organization on the verge of financial collapse.
Bill Devine, TACT's legal advisor, said he spoke briefly Saturday with Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney Chuck Griffith.
``He promised to look into it,'' said Devine. ``I'm very hopeful that they intend to extradite. We would certainly hope that he is going to be brought back here to face the music and whatever it brings.''
Normally, authorities consider the severity of a crime and the cost of obtaining extradition before actual proceeding. In matters of small property crimes, officials will sometimes decline to go to the expense of seeking extradition.
``One of the factors they also consider . . . is importance to the community'' of a particular case, Devine said. ``And this case sounds as if it is in that category.''
A decision on whether to pursue extradition is expected this week.
Gillooly was arrested Thursday as he and his wife re-entered the country after a vacation on a cruise ship. A routine check by U.S. Customs agents turned up the four outstanding warrants.
Gillooly was never charged with domestic violence, however. On Friday, a Brevard County Sheriff's Department official said Gillooly had initially been detained on such a charge and had posted bond and been released.
The department later corrected itself, saying he had not posted bond and was being held on the combined charges.
On Saturday, however, they clarified the situation further, saying Gillooly was never charged with domestic violence and that his name was apparently crossed with that of someone else being held at the county jail. A department supervisor apologized for the confusion.
Gillooly's wife remained in seclusion Saturday at the couple's Melbourne home. She is pregnant with their first child.
KEYWORDS: EMBEZZLEMENT ARREST by CNB