BECKLEY, W.Va. — A Raleigh County pharmacist and business owner charged last week with multiple counts of fraud was ordered to be released on home confinement by a federal judge Monday.
Natalie Cochran, 38, of Daniels, is accused of wire fraud, bank fraud, bankruptcy fraud, aggravated identity theft and other crimes. According to a 26-count federal indictment, Cochran and her late husband collected money from family members, friends and other investors to help her two companies, Tactical Solutions Group and Technology Management Solutions, which she allegedly claimed were involved in government contracts.
During a hearing at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District in Beckley Monday, Magistrate Omar Aboulhosn ordered Cochran’s release pending the post of a $10,000 unsecured bond. He set her trial date for Nov. 4 before U.S. District Judge Irene Berger in Beckley. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 15.
As a condition of her release, Cochran will be required to reside with a third party, her father, at her home in Daniels. Additionally, she will not be permitted to have contact with any witnesses or alleged victims in the case and will be required to abstain from alcohol or drugs not authorized by a medical professional. She will be wearing an electronic monitoring device.
Cochran’s attorney asked Aboulhosn if Cochran could take her children to and from school.
“I cannot let her do that. She will be on home incarceration,” Aboulhosn said, according to court documents.
Cochran previously agreed to surrender her passport and to set up a landline telephone at her residence.
At a press conference shortly after Cochran’s arrest, U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart had argued against her release, saying she was a flight risk, given the amount of money involved.
“A million dollars (has been spent) of the $2.5 million raised so there’s still $1.5 million out there,” he said. “Anybody of this capability, an extremely smart individual, has the ability to flee prosecution.”
Cochran’s name also has been associated with an investigation into missing funds from a pair of youth sports leagues in Raleigh County.
The death of Cochran’s husband earlier this year remains under investigation.