|
Another guilty of charges related to robbery
BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER
MONTEREY - "I find him guilty," said Highland County circuit court judge Thomas Wood Wednesday at the trial of Carroll "Bill" Hinkle Jr. of Blue Grass.
Hinkle was arraigned on charges of feloniously receiving stolen property, knowing it to be stolen, of a value of more than $200. The maximum penalty possible is 12 months in jail and/or a $2,500 fine. Hinkle, represented by attorney Gordon W. Poindexter Jr. of Waynesboro, pleaded not guilty to the charge of receiving stolen goods.
Tommy Lee Brewer, who pleaded guilty last week to the Oct. 6, 2006 armed robbery of the Blue Grass Valley Bank, testified he gave Hinkle $2,000 from the $10,000 he stole from the bank.
Bank cashier Tony Crane said $13,290 was taken from the bank.
Three witnesses - Patrick Hull, Ernest Lightner Jr. and Michael Marshall - testified to Hinkle's good reputation, truthfulness and veracity.
Wood based his decision on Brewer's testimony and the testimony of witnesses called by commonwealth's attorney John Lohr.
According to the testimony presented, Brewer gave Hinkle $2,000 in stolen goods; and Sandy Moyers (Brewer's sister and Hinkle's girlfriend) gave $1,400 to her sister, Pat Gum of Churchville.
Moyers, however, testified the $1,400 was "drug money" her nephew, Dustin Turner, had given her for safekeeping before the bank robbery. Turner was convicted March 20 in Highland County District Court of the misdemeanor charge of being an accessory after the fact to the armed robbery and sentenced to 12 months in jail.
At Turner's sentencing, Judge J. Gregory Mooney said Turner provided assistance to Brewer over "an extended period of time and area. His assistance was not limited to making a statement to conceal Brewer's whereabouts."
Brewer said he took $1,200 from Gum's purse and used it to buy plane tickets for his daughter and himself to go to Colorado the Tuesday following the robbery.
Brewer was subsequently arrested in Colorado and returned to Virginia to stand trial for bank robbery.
District court clerk Judy Hupman testified Hinkle paid nearly $500 in court fees the week after the robbery. Hinkle had been in court earlier on unrelated charges, which were dismissed, but for which he was ordered to pay court fees and costs.
Sheriff Herb Lightner, who praised by Wood for his handling of the robbery investigation, said Hinkle told him during his investigation that he was having money problems because the weather kept him from working and he was falling behind on house and truck payments.
Brewer testified he robbed the bank to help Moyers and Hinkle, who were having money problems.
Hinkle testified he did not take stolen money. He said he worked two to three days a week for Glen Rexrode (cutting down trees) and earned $12 an hour. He also said he borrowed some money from his father, Carroll Hinkle.
The elder Hinkle testified he routinely loaned money to his son, sometimes up to $100-$200 at a time, and that he took out a bank loan to help pay for his son's defense. He did not recall that he loaned money to his son last October, but said it was possible.
Wood, after a challenge by Poindexter on whether Moyers had the $1,400 before the robbery, listened to a playback of the court recording of Moyer's testimony.
Wood said, "Patricia Gum didn't say when she got the money (from Moyers). A remarkable aspect (of this case) is the money transaction. Moyers says she gave Gum $1,400 of drug money she was holding for Dustin Turner. Gum testified she didn't give Brewer money until he was at the Charlottesville airport (on the way to Colorado the following Tuesday) … They (Hinkle and Moyers) had no money before, but two to three days (after the robbery) they had $1,200 to $1,400 and took $500 to pay off fines (at the courthouse).
"Draw your own conclusions," said Wood. "Hinkle said he had nothing to do with the money; Brewer said Hinkle did … The case is built on circumstantial evidence.
"With all the lying going on, all the prevaricating, they came up with $2,000. I find him guilty. He is free on bond pending a presentencing report."
Bail was set at $5,000.
| 
