Moundsville Man Indicted On 14 Felony Counts In Connection With Former Marshall County Assessor’s Fraud Scheme
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A Moundsville car dealer who is alleged to have partnered with former Marshall County Assessor Eric Buzzard — in a scheme that led Buzzard to plead guilty to felony embezzlement and conspiracy charges — was indicted on 14 felony charges himself this week.
James Robert Meade II was indicted by a Marshall County grand jury on seven felony counts of fraudulent schemes and seven felony counts of conspiracy. Ohio County Prosecutor Shawn Turak, who was specially appointed as the prosecutor in this case, appeared before the grand jury to submit the charges.
The charges stem from a scheme that occurred starting shortly after Buzzard took office in 2021, where he partnered with a local car dealer — allegedly Meade through is dealership JB’s Preowned Auto Sales — to buy vehicles from the dealer at inflated prices and split the profit. The two allegedly pocketed more than $30,000 each. Buzzard pleaded guilty in November 2025 to felony embezzlement, conspiracy to commit fraudulent schemes and conspiracy to commit grand larceny. He was sentence to 2-15 years in prison and barred from ever holding office in West Virginia again.
Meade will appear before Judge Jeffrey Cramer on Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. for arraignment, at which time a trial date may be set.