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Bailey
Police arrested a Toronto business owner Feb. 22 on a fraud charge, after officials with a West Virginia volunteer fire department said he allegedly failed to fulfill contracted services, leaving the department almost $20,000 in debt to another company.
William Anthony Bailey, 39, 818 Trenton St., has been charged with one felony count of obtaining money under false pretenses. Bailey is the owner of Movin and Groovin Productions, an event supply and rental company.
Bailey is set to appear in front of a Hancock County magistrate at 9 a.m. March 14 for his initial hearing. The felony charge carries the potential of between one and five years in prison.
Hancock County Magistrate Steve Svokas on Monday set a $10,000 bond for Bailey, which he posted through a bail bond agent, according to Detective Scott Little of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department.
When contacted on Tuesday, Bailey advised that all questions should be directed to his lawyer, Kristopher Haught of Scarpone Law Offices. Haught stated that Bailey and Movin and Groovin Productions have a presumption of innocence while awaiting court rulings on the matter.
Little said Tuesday that he had been assigned to investigate Bailey after the Chester Volunteer Fire Department filed a complaint of fraud, alleging that Bailey failed to pay an $18,876.50 bill to another rental company he had outsourced to and left the department to pay it.
According to Little, the CVFD entered into a contract with Bailey on Feb. 1, 2023, for $77,000. In the contract, Bailey agreed to provide event supplies — tents, fencing, portable toilets, stages and tables — for the department’s 2023 Fall Bash on Sept. 16 at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort.
The bash, held for the last 23 years, is a major fundraiser for the department, drawing tens of thousands of attendees and giving away millions of dollars in prizes.
In addition to being used to purchase equipment for the department, proceeds go toward local youth programs and sports teams and community events like the Chester Fouth of July event, said Drew Dawson, media representative for the fire department.
John Hissam, chief of the CVFD, had heard about Movin and Groovin through other department members, Little said, and the department agreed to pay the company in three payments on different dates — Feb. 1, Sept. 13 and Sept. 19 — for its services.
In November, the fire department had paid Movin and Groovin in full as agreed, but it was contacted by All Occasions Party Rental, which stated the department had a remaining $18,876.50 invoice.
Speaking with a representative from All Occasions, Hissam found out that Bailey had allegedly contracted with All Occasions to utilize their large tents for the event — outsourcing is a practice that Little said is regular procedure for Movin and Groovin.
However, Bailey allegedly presented himself to All Occasions as a representative of the CVFD when he agreed to pay the company about $40,000 for its supplies, Little said.
As per All Occasions’ policy, payments must be made in full prior to an event. Bailey allegedly wrote All Occasions a check for $40,000, which was later returned due to insufficient funds. Bailey then allegedly informed All Occasions that his bank would only allow for $20,000 in withdrawals per day, so he would have to split the payments in half.
Days before the bash, Little said, Bailey allegedly wrote a check to All Occasions that was returned for the same reason. Despite multiple attempts, Little said, All Occasions was unable to reach Bailey. Hissam was also allegedly unable to contact Bailey except on one occasion, when Bailey directed Hissam to Haught.
In November, All Occasions allegedly issued the invoice to the CVFD, assuming that Bailey was a member of the department, Little said.
The CVFD ultimately paid the invoice, a decision Dawson defended.
“We (the CVFD) understand the importance of supporting local businesses. They are not just vendors, they are our partners and a critical part of our success,” said Dawson. “While it is unfortunate that this situation arose, it was important to us to not let a local business be left high and dry. Our ultimate goal is to always build up our community and those actively involved.”
While investigating, Little was allegedly told by Haught that Bailey had made a final check out to All Occasions, but it would not be received until May because Bailey’s bank had put a 190-day hold on the check. Little said Haught was allegedly unable to provide evidence of that claim, stating that he had only been verbally advised of it by Bailey.
After the investigation, Little was advised by Hancock County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Dragisich to file a criminal complaint against Bailey on a charge of obtaining money by false pretenses.
Little said a warrant was placed on Bailey for his arrest anywhere in the Tri-State Area. Bailey was arrested by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department after returning home from work on Feb. 22, and he was brought to the Jefferson County Jail for initial booking. He was held over the weekend and was transferred to the Northern Regional Jail on Monday.
During the investigation, Little said, it was discovered that Bailey’s license to operate Movin and Groovin in West Virginia had expired as of December 2022. Bailey also had two active warrants for his arrest on similar charges — in Trumbull County for passing bad checks and in Washington County, Pa., for insufficient funds.
“Any time that I’m investigating somebody for a particular crime, and I have active cases in other (areas) on the same or … similar offenses, that’s definitely a red flag,” Little said.
Although the CVFD took a financial blow from the incident, Dawson said the firefighters will continue with their bashes, which he called “a cornerstone of our fundraising efforts and a testament to our commitment to the community.”
The department’s spring bash will take place virtually this year on March 16, and tickets for the fall bash will be sold soon afterward.
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