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West Virginia Supreme Court justice Allen Loughry indicted, arrested

CHARLESTON (AP) — FBI agents have arrested West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Allen Loughry and taken him to the federal courthouse in Charleston to face a 22-count federal indictment.

U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart today said that Loughry is charged with 16 counts of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, one count of witness tampering and three counts of making false statements to a federal agent.

Loughry was suspended over allegations he repeatedly lied about using his office for personal gain.

The state Judicial Investigation Commission filed a 32-count complaint alleging he “made false statements” and tried to deceive others about his office renovation, a federal subpoena, the moving of furniture from his Capitol office to his home and his improper personal use of state vehicles.

Loughry has repeatedly denied involvement in the office renovations, including during an appearance before the House Committee on Finance in January.

But the complaint said Supreme Court records show he had a heavy hand in them.

The five-member court has faced criticism over millions of dollars spent to renovate court offices over the past several years. Loughry has blamed former court administrator Steve Canterbury for the expenditures. Loughry fired Canterbury in January 2017.

The complaint also said Loughry kept secret from other justices that a federal subpoena was served on the Supreme Court in December, even though it may have sought items specific to one or more of the court’s members. The subject of the subpoena wasn’t disclosed in the complaint.

Also detailed in the complaint were allegations that Loughry improperly used a state vehicle for personal reasons. Loughry signed for a car for a total of 212 days from 2013 to 2016 but failed to list a destination for 148 days.

On one of the trips in December 2013, Loughry’s personal calendar listed attending a West Virginia University basketball game in Morgantown and appointments involving his mother. Loughry’s mother and father live in Tucker County, and it’s believed Loughry also owns a home there, the complaint said.

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