ERIC BUZZARD

MOUNDSVILLE — Former Marshall County Assessor Eric Buzzard pleaded guilty to three counts related to embezzlement and conspiracy and resigned from his position in November 2025.

Buzzard, a 42-year-old Moundsville resident, pleaded guilty Nov. 5 before Marshall County Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Cramer to charges of felony embezzlement, conspiracy to commit fraudulent schemes and conspiracy to commit grand larceny.

A sentencing hearing before Cramer will be held at a later date after a pre-sentence investigation is conducted by the probation office.

As part of his plea agreement, Buzzard also agreed to resign from his assessor position immediately and to never seek an elected office in West Virginia again.

Buzzard was arrested in June 2025 for allegedly partnering with a local car dealer to purchase cars for the Marshall County Commission, resulting in him receiving more than $30,000 in kickbacks from padded prices.

According to a criminal complaint filed by the West Virginia State Police with the Marshall County Magistrate’s Office, since the time Buzzard took office in January 2021, he and the car dealer collectively split a profit of $63,157 following the county’s purchase of automobiles, resulting in a $31,578 kickback for each.

Buzzard also admitted to using a purchasing card belonging to the county office for personal shopping and unauthorized expenses. He also used the card to get cash back from the bank.

Ohio County Prosecutor Shawn Turak served as special prosecutor in the case. She said the state was recommending that Buzzard be sentenced one to 10 years on the embezzlement charge, one to five years for conspiracy to commit fraudulent schemes and one to five years for conspiracy to commit grand larceny.

Turak said the state also recommends consecutive sentences for Counts 1 and 2, resulting in an effective sentence of not less than two years and no more than 15 years in prison.

The state also recommends that once Buzzard has served his two-to-15-year sentence on Counts 1 and 2, the third count’s sentence be suspended and he instead serve five years of supervised probation.

Turak said the state also asks that Buzzard pay $67,466 in restitution to the Marshall County Commission and $9,380 to the state auditor’s office.

Buzzard’s attorneys are Bill Ihlenfeld and Max Nogay.