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First Man In Arch Coal Kickback Case Pleads Guilty
By: Associated Press
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A Logan County man is facing up to three years in prison after pleading guilty to tax fraud connected to a kickback scheme at an Arch Coal mine.
Gary Roeher pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Charleston. The 52-year-old from Holden admitted he illegally claimed business-expense deductions for kickbacks paid to an Arch official at the Mountain Laurel Mining complex in Logan County.
Roeher's sentencing is Oct. 15.
Three other former Arch employees and seven contractors and vendors also are expected to plead guilty.
Federal prosecutors say companies had to pay kickbacks to Arch employees for business at Mountain Laurel. Prosecutors say the kickbacks totaled nearly $2 million from 2007 to 2012.
Mountain Laurel general manager David Runyon faces extortion charges. His hearing is Aug. 7.