Former WVDEP Official Sentenced for Theft of Federal Grant Funds

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jerry D. Elkins, 54, of Danville, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation, including 10 months on home detention, and ordered to pay $94,197.93 in restitution for theft from programs receiving federal funds. Elkins admitted to fraudulently obtaining $94,197.93 of federal abandoned mine land (AML) remediation sub-grant funds while employed by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Elkins also set up a shell limited liability company to receive a portion of the sub-grant award funds and created fraudulent invoices in an attempt to conceal the nature of the payments.