THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 5, 1995 TAG: 9510050385
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Short : 39 lines
Dennis L. Montgomery, who has practiced law in Suffolk for more than 10 years, has been charged with three counts of embezzling from clients.
Montgomery, 49, was arrested Monday by Suffolk police on warrants obtained after a special prosecutor determined a crime had been committed. He was released on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond.
A preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 20 in Suffolk General District Court.
Montgomery declined to comment on the matter.
According to police and court officials, the charges stem from a discrepancy in funds in estates Montgomery reportedly settled. The amount of missing funds could not be determined, but each count of embezzlement allegedly involved more than $200, according to police records.
The missing funds were in the thousands of dollars, police said.
Suffolk Commonwealth's Attorney C. Phillips Ferguson said he was notified by a commissioner of accounts, Whitney G. Saunders, of a discrepancy in funds from two estates. Ferguson believed there was sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation and asked the Circuit Court judge to appoint a special prosecutor.
The Virginia Beach commonwealth's attorney's office was asked to look into the matter, Ferguson said.
At least one of the offenses occurred at Montgomery's law office at 506 N. Main St. between November 1991 and June 1995, police said.
Montgomery is a former secretary of the Hampton Roads Bankruptcy Bar Association and a former member of the Suffolk Planning Commission.
KEYWORDS: EMBEZZLEMENT ARREST by CNB