Plea accepted in Ohio business owner fraud case

HANCOCK COUNTY, W.Va. – An Ohio businessman has entered a plea to the Hancock County Magistrate Court, ending a 6-month fraud case.

William Anthony Bailey, owner of Movin and Groovin Productions, a supply and rental company, was charged in February with one felony count of obtaining money by false pretenses, but according to news partner Herald-Star the court accepted a guilty plea to a reduced charge.

Bailey was accused of failing to reimburse All Occasions Party Rental, another rental company he had contracted to provide supplies for the Chester Volunteer Fire Department’s 2023 Fall Bash.

CVFD agreed to pay Bailey nearly $77,000 for services and paid the company in three separate payments.

Bailey, however, allegedly did not pay the remaining $18,876.50 to All Occasions Party Rental, which forwarded the bill to Chester VFD, because Bailey presented himself as a member of CVFD and not the owner of Movin and Groovin Productions.

Bailey initially tried to pay the rental company on two separate occasions; both times, the checks were returned for insufficient funds. Bailey’s lawyer, Kristopher Haught, told the investigating officer that a check had been issued, but the bank put a 190-day hold on it. There was no documentation to prove this at the time of the investigation.

Herald-Star reports that after seven continuances, on Thursday, the state moved to dismiss Bailey’s case with prejudice after accepting a plea agreement that would reduce Bailey’s felony charge to a misdemeanor.

According to the news outlet, this agreement was made after Bailey had repaid CVFD the full $18,876.50.

It is reported that Bailey received six months of suspended jail time and was placed on a year of unsupervised probation beginning on Thursday and ending on Aug. 15, 2025, when he must return for a review hearing. He is also ordered to pay court costs of $176.48 but no extra fines.

Assistant Prosecutor Justin Wiater told Herald-Star that the investigating officer and the fire chief agreed with the plea and that the ultimate goal was to get reimbursement for the fire department.

Haught told the news outlet that Bailey still presumes his innocence but is willing to accept the consequences of the situation.

Haught also stated that the check that was on hold with the bank ultimately “resolved the case.” According to Herald-Star, the court had previously granted continuances to provide time to subpoena the check or its documentation as evidence.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTRF.