MERCER COUNTY, W.Va. – A former Mercer County attorney was sentenced after the West Virginia State Police say he was found guilty of felony embezzlement.
According to the West Virginia State Police, 60-year-old Phillip Ball, from Athens, was working as the attorney for the Mercer County Sheriff‘s Department in 2015, helping the Sheriff in the administration of a deceased person’s estate. State Police say Ball illegally transferred over $73,000 of Estate assets into a private/personal account owned by Ball and his wife back in 2015.
When the illegal transfers were found in 2020, investigations were started by the Federal and West Virginia State Bar.
In July 2023, Ball‘s license to practice law was annulled by the Sate of West Virginia, and in August 2023 Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney Brian Cochran asked for the West Virginia State Police to investigate Ball’s actions. This led to an indictment in October 2023 and later sentence.
Ball was originally sentenced to 1-10 years in the West Virginia Penitentiary for felony embezzlement, but the sentence was suspended and Ball was placed on two years of supervised probation.
Cochran said Ball can still serve the 1-10 year sentence if he doesn’t comply with the probation terms.
The sentencing took place on Oct. 30.
Copyright 2024 WVVA. All rights reserved.