Judge appointed to preside over case against Harrison County Commissioner

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A judge outside of Harrison County has been named to oversee the proceedings of a county commissioner accused of fraudulently obtaining money while on county-sponsored trips.

Senior Status Judge John L. Henning received the appointment Tuesday from the state Supreme Court of Appeals after they determined Bernie Fazzini’s case would present a conflict for the circuit court judges there who work with the commission.

After a presentation to the grand jury from a private citizen, an indictment was returned on September 21 charging Commissioner Fazzini with four felony counts related to trips taken between 2011 and 2012.

Three counts related to submitting of false and fraudulent purchase requisitions to the county in which he “altered, amended and falsified the form and reimbursement receipts…to obtain money to which he was not entitled.”

The fourth count alleges that on or about March 2, 2012, Fazzini obtained money in excess of $1,000 from Harrison County under false pretenses “by altering, amending and falsifying form and reimbursement receipts.”

Each count carries a 1-10 year sentence under state code if there is a conviction.

That same week, Fazzini responded to the allegations with a prepared statement during the commission’s weekly meeting, claiming they “are the continuation of [Commissioner Frank] Chunki Angotti’s three year crusade to discredit and harm” him.

Commissioner Angotti was not present at last week’s meeting.

He also said he believed the matter was put to rest after similar charges brought about to the state Ethics Commission and were resolved with a conciliation agreement, in which he was required to receive training on the West Virginia Ethics Act, pay a fine of $3,500, reimburse the county the amount the commission determined he improperly received –$298.08– and is subject to public reprimand.

To go along with the appointed judge, a special prosecutor is expected to be appointed by the state Prosecutor’s Institute to avoid a conflict of interest.

A date for the proceedings to being has not been set.





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