Warner announces felony conviction for business document fraud

PRESS RELEASE:

CHARLE TOWN, W.Va. – WV Secretary of State Kris Warner credits the keen eye of a trained bank employee and the quick action of his Business Division and Chief Investigator for the recent felony conviction of a Jefferson County woman for business fraud.

Dana Marie Phillips was originally indicted in April by the Jefferson County Grand Jury on two felony counts of Forgery of a Public Document and one felony count of Uttering a Forged Public Document.

Phillips forged a WV Secretary of State’s Business Registration document and attempted to present the forged document as authentic to Jefferson Security Bank.

In a plea agreement with the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Phillips pled guilty to one felony count and agreed to pay the costs associated with her conviction. She was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge David Hammer to not less than two nor more than ten years in prison.

Jefferson County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Neil Zahradnik prosecuted the case. Assisting the WV Secretary of State’s Office with the multi-agency investigation were the WV Attorney General’s Office, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (MD), and Jefferson Security Bank, Martinsburg Branch.

Secretary Warner hosted a press conference to announce the conviction and to highlight the private-public partnership that worked together on the case. In addition to Secretary Warner, representatives from the agencies involved – including Jefferson County Acting Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Groh, Assistant Prosecutors Neil Zahradnik and Adam Ward, Paralegal Autumn Ulsh, the WV Attorney General’s Office, and Jefferson Security Bank – were present at the press conference.