Couple denies charges in alleged All Seasons scam
Published 11:56 am Tuesday, November 26, 2013
One day after surrendering to the Ironton Police Department, owners of All Season of Kentucky were arraigned today in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.
Leo Patrick Richard Jr., 39, and his wife, Carol Richard, 40, both of Manhattan, Ill., answered their charges separately and pleaded not guilty to more than 100 criminal acts, between the two of them. Judge D. Scott Bowling presided over the case.
Patrick Richard was arraigned on one count of first-degree engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, 23 counts of fifth-degree theft, 12 counts of fourth-degree theft from the elderly and 33 counts of third-degree money laundering.
Carol Richard was arraigned on a count of first-degree engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, as well as 35 counts of fifth-degree receiving stolen property and one count of third-degree money laundering.
The couple were owners of a storm repair business with an office in Grayson, Ky. They were indicted following a months-long investigation into allegations that they were scamming dozens of Ironton residents out of money paid to do home repair work.
Aaron Crawford, criminal investigator for the consumer protection and economic crimes unit of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, was the prosecutor for the case and recommended bond be set at $200,000 for Patrick Richard and $100,000 for Carol Richard.
Neil Rosenberg, Columbus-based attorney representing the Richards, asked Bowling for lower bonds.
“These are not crimes of violence and no weapons were involved,” Rosenberg said. “They did appear yesterday in this county and self-surrender.”
Bowling set the bonds as requested by Crawford and added own-recognizance bonds of $200,000 and $100,000, for the Richards.
Bowling ordered that the bonds may be paid by cash, surety or 10 percent to the clerk of court’s office. The Richards must also pay for GPS monitoring and surrender their passports if bond is posted.
For the complete story, see Wednesday’s edition of The Tribune.