RICHARDS PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN HARDMAN SUPPLY HEIST

(03/13/2008)
A Grantsville man, John Manis Richards, 44, pled not guilty in Glenville this week to charges filed against him in Gilmer County related to the theft of building materials and a truck from Hardman Supply.

Gilmer County Circuit Court Judge Jack Alsop granted a motion to continue the trial to the July term of court.

Richards is free on bond.

Richards had been given a three-count indictment charging him with the July 2007 theft - the charges, conspiracy, grand larceny and breaking and entering.

Richards had faced similar charges before in an incident related to thefts in Gilmer and Calhoun.

Gilmer Sheriff Mickey Metz caught Richards in January after he had been alluding authorities for several months.

Richards attempted to flee on foot, following a routine traffic stop. Sheriff Metz caught Richards following a foot chase.

Wood County officials say Richards was recently arraigned in Wood Magistrate Court on a charge of failure to register as a sex offender and was released on $35,000 bond.

Richards has faced multiple sex-related charges in several West Virginia counties and Ohio.

Richards house in south Grantsville was the object of a search warrant, after which State Police announced they lost the evidence, reportedly related to the manufacturing of meth.