Eric Hodges
WAYNE, W.Va. — A special prosecutor believes the arrest of Wayne County Assessor Eric Lantz Hodges on an embezzlement charge marks just the beginning of a complex case with many questions left unanswered.
Among those will be whether budgetary safeguards worked appropriately in detecting such conduct.
Putnam County Prosecutor Mark Sorsaia said Wednesday such an answer requires more investigation, while Wayne County Commission President Bob Pasley seemed confident the system worked.
Hodges, 41, of Wayne, is charged with felony embezzlement, computer fraud and fraudulent use of a credit card, according to jail and court records.
A criminal complaint indicates Hodges used a county purchasing card to buy $5,695.23 in hardware items and tools, along with ammunition for a rifle and a handgun. The alleged transactions occurred July 9 and July 14 at G&R IGA/Ace Hardware in Webster Springs, West Virginia, which is roughly 150 miles east of Wayne.
Authorities believe the timing coincided with visits to a camp or cabin…