Holloway indicted: Hopewell councilor charged with embezzlement of public funds
Hopewell City Councilor Dominic Holloway lost a civil trial Wednesday, and moments later found himself facing criminal charges.
Shortly after a General District Court ruled against him in a civil trial over Holloway's misuse of a murder victim's family's GoFundMe account, Holloway quietly gave himself up to law enforcement on charges of embezzlement by a public officer stemming from the alleged improper use of city funds in a separate incident in late June. He was booked on the charge and released on a $7,500 bond.
His next court appearance is slated for Nov. 8 where counsel will be appointed.
The Progress-Index's story on Holloway's questionable use of a city credit card in June 2023 led to a formal investigation by Hopewell Commonwealth's Attorney Rick Newman. A multijurisdictional grand jury was empaneled Oct. 10 in Colonial Heights. Progress-Index reporter Bill Atkinson was called to testify before the grand jury about the facts in his investigative story. Atkinson’s testimony about his reporting on this topic adhered to Gannett’s standards on protecting sources and followed our Principles of Ethical Conduct For Newsrooms.
The booking on the embezzlement charge immediately followed a trial in Hopewell General District Court where Holloway had been sued for $5,600 he reportedly mishandled in the GoFundMe account he set up for the family of P'Aris Mi-Unique Angel Moore. P'Aris was about a week shy of turning 9 years old when she was shot to death Dec. 30, 2022 while playing with friends in east Hopewell.
Judge Craig Dunkum, who was assigned the case after Hopewell's judges recused themselves, ordered Holloway to pay $5,600, plus court costs and interest. He has 10 days from date of judgement to appeal the decision to Hopewell Circuit Court.
The specific charge for which he was indicted is in Virginia Code 18.2-112. Under state law, it is a Class 4 felony, which is punishable by a 2-10 year prison term and a maximum fine of $100,000.
Holloway has not yet publicly commented on the indictment.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Hopewell councilor Holloway hit with grand jury charges for embezzlement of public funds
