Kanawha County's Adult Probation Department is trying to revoke Cross Lanes computer executive Martin Bowling's probation and send him back to prison.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Kanawha County's Adult Probation Department is trying to revoke Cross Lanes computer executive Martin Bowling's probation and send him back to prison.
Bowling, former chief technical officer at Comar Inc., and his mother, Mary Jane Bowling, have been at the center of a grants scandal at Workforce West Virginia, the state's work force training agency.
The probation office alleges that Bowling twice violated the terms of his home confinement last month.
On Sept. 8, Bowling visited Cato Park without authorization, according to a motion filed by the probation department in Kanawha County Circuit Court. A week later, Bowling stopped at a McDonald's at Patrick Street Plaza without permission, the motion states.
A probation revocation hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 23 before Kanawha Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey, according to a motion filed late last week.
Bowling's lawyer, Mark French of the Charleston firm of Criswell & French, declined comment Wednesday.
Earlier this year, Bailey sentenced Bowling to three years in state prison after he was convicted of stealing people's credit cards and using them to purchase Cuban cigars, movie tickets, artwork and other merchandise on the Internet.
Bowling spent a month at South Central Regional Jail while awaiting transfer to state prison.
At a March hearing, Bowling asked the judge to give him a second chance, promising he would never break the law again.
His plea for leniency prompted Bailey to reduce his sentence to five years of probation with a year of home confinement.
Five months later, Bowling was in trouble with the law again -- this time in federal court.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Kanawha County's Adult Probation Department is trying to revoke Cross Lanes computer executive Martin Bowling's probation and send him back to prison.
Bowling, former chief technical officer at Comar Inc., and his mother, Mary Jane Bowling, have been at the center of a grants scandal at Workforce West Virginia, the state's work force training agency.
The probation office alleges that Bowling twice violated the terms of his home confinement last month.
On Sept. 8, Bowling visited Cato Park without authorization, according to a motion filed by the probation department in Kanawha County Circuit Court. A week later, Bowling stopped at a McDonald's at Patrick Street Plaza without permission, the motion states.
A probation revocation hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 23 before Kanawha Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey, according to a motion filed late last week.
Bowling's lawyer, Mark French of the Charleston firm of Criswell & French, declined comment Wednesday.
Earlier this year, Bailey sentenced Bowling to three years in state prison after he was convicted of stealing people's credit cards and using them to purchase Cuban cigars, movie tickets, artwork and other merchandise on the Internet.
Bowling spent a month at South Central Regional Jail while awaiting transfer to state prison.
At a March hearing, Bowling asked the judge to give him a second chance, promising he would never break the law again.
His plea for leniency prompted Bailey to reduce his sentence to five years of probation with a year of home confinement.
Five months later, Bowling was in trouble with the law again -- this time in federal court.
Amid a grand jury investigation, Bowling pleaded guilty to charges that he embezzled part of a $100,000 federal grant.
His mother, Mary Jane Bowling, a former state Workforce West Virginia administrator, also has been charged in the scheme.
Two others, Comar CEO Al Hendershot and West Virginia State University extension agent Christine Gardner also face federal charges for their alleged role in the misuse of the grant money.
Bowling's sentencing on the federal charges is scheduled for Dec. 3.
Home confinement requires offenders to remain at home for most hours. Exceptions include meetings with lawyers and probation officers, attendance at court hearings, doctor's appointments and religious services.
Many programs also allow convicts to leave their residence during pre-approved times to carry out household errands, such as food shopping.
Some convicts also are allowed to continue to work.
The probation department's motion does not say how the office learned that Bowling went to Cato Park and McDonald's without permission. Chief Probation Officer Judy Jones could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Bowling faces a minimum two-year sentence on the federal charges.
Reach Eric Eyre at erice...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-4869.
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I couldn't agree more. What the guy did to get on probation was wrong. But it was nonviolent.
Then he gets the slammer for going to McDs?
Meanwhile a guy beats his girlfriend half silly and avoids arrest numerous times until he finally guns her down in the Taco Bell across the street.
Where is the justice?