EXTRA: Laughery plea; Weapon found; Election deadline
Staff and Wire ReportsArticle Photos
LAUGHERY TO PLEAD GUILTY:
Heidi C. Laughery, the former president and CEO of Sequelle Communications Alliance, is expected to plead guilty Friday to federal charges at 10:30 a.m. today in U.S. District Court in Huntington, W.Va.
Laughery, 46, formerly of Marietta and now of Meadville, Pa., faced up to 100 years in prison and $3.25 million in fines after she was named in a 12-count federal indictment last fall. The charges stem from the alleged misappropriation of millions of dollars from the federally funded broadband Internet company.
U.S. Attorney Anna Forbes said she could not comment on the plea agreement.
Laughery was set to stand trial next week on the charges.
Sequelle, launched in Marietta in August 2000 by Laughery, was designed to bring high-speed wireless Internet to southeast Ohio and portions of West Virginia. The project was largely funded by public money and as much as $4 million may have been obtained illegally or misappropriated, according to federal prosecutors.
Laughery was charged with five counts of mail fraud, two counts of theft from an organization receiving federal funds, one count of money laundering conspiracy and four of engaging in an illegal monetary transaction.
MURDER WEAPON FOUND:
BELLE VALLEY, Ohio (AP) - The Noble County sheriff says investigators have found an electrical cord they believe an Ohio man used to strangle family members before telling a dispatcher he had money troubles.
Sheriff Landon Smith says authorities also have recovered the 16-gauge shotgun that 39-year-old Theodore Bayly apparently used to take his own life after cutting short his call notifying the sheriff's office of the killings early Wednesday.
Deputies found the bodies of Bayly, his 40-year-old wife, Janice Bayly, and their 11-year-old son, Colton, at the family's trailer home near Belle Valley, about 75 miles east of Columbus.
Smith said Thursday that Theodore Bayly was despondent over some form of disability that left him unable to work as a self-employed roofer.
ELECTION DEADLINE:
The deadline to file for the May primary election has passed.
All seats on the Marietta and Belpre city councils, as well as some other city offices, are on the ballot. Warren Local Schools will have a renewal emergency level on the ballot, and the City of Marietta will ask voters to repeal a 2006 ballot issue prohibiting city funds from being used to build, lease, furnish or maintain a new building or office space for the municipal court.
Look for a complete rundown of the primary ballot in Friday's edition of The Marietta Times.
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GOTOSCHOOL
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02-20-09 8:52 AM
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???
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GOTOSCHOOL
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02-20-09 8:51 AM
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..****bined w. smarts...
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GOTOSCHOOL
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02-20-09 8:50 AM
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Ken Lay, Michael Milken, Bob Ney, Madoff...Heidi...Blogojovich---it's all greed and opportunity..****bined w. smarts...human nature gone haywire...they should work it off- somehow- like in nursing homes and animal shelters.
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RiverQueen
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02-20-09 8:28 AM
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Probably because they are people in local government, business owners, and one that tries to run our schools that fit the profile and they don't want people to remember, but we do. Life in a small town.
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BuckeyeGal
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02-20-09 8:25 AM
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ramon05, if you are speaking for everyone, I'll assume you are referring to those that knew Heidi best while she was ripping off this area. So, question: why are there sooooo many people that were her "friends", went on vacations with her, went shopping and dinner with her, now turning away and denying any affiliation?
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JohnnyRingo
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02-20-09 6:54 AM
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damon05 you're a moron.... You never speak for anyone here. You can barely speak for yourself....
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Genieman
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02-20-09 6:45 AM
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She may go to prsion for awhile, but bet she gets out early. Our Governor is getting ready to close 1/3 of the prisions and release inmates among us to save $$ so the state can keep sending out wealfare checks.So not to worry about her wasted talent. She will be back to her old tricks soon enough.
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Indian
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02-19-09 9:42 PM
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What wasted talent. Go to Jail, go directly to Jail. No get out of jail free pass. Good-bye Heidi. What wasted talent.
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Cavsfan
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02-19-09 9:13 PM
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"Heidi is brilliant but obviously twisted... whattya gonna do sometimes...capitalism breeds this..." Yeah . . . and most of the time capitalism creates the jobs that you and I have. It always creates companies that pay the tax bills that support our schools and community services. A crook is a crook. Capitalism had nothing to do with this girl being a crook. She has a history prior to coming to Marietta.
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AvidReader
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02-19-09 9:10 PM
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Brilliant?maybe. but stupid enough to rip off alot of people and states.stupid enough to get caught.Im not saying she did it.I dont know.But if she did,,,there shouldnt be any pleas.She should get what she deserves.Why does everyone want a deal to get away from their crime. Come on!!!
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DCGibson
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02-19-09 9:07 PM
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A person walks into a 7-11 with a .357 robs it gets a couple hundred dollars gets oh 15-20 years depending on the judge , now "white" collar criminals get caught and get .... well lets just see what happens to poor Heidi ( tongue in cheek) FOUR MILLION DOLLARS
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Dorothy
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02-19-09 8:22 PM
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Brilliant? Give me a break! I have never understood the aura surrounding this woman--even before her current troubles. Her ability to con the beautiful people of Marietta is comparable to Bernie Madoff. If she has talent and intelligence, she chose not to channel it for the greater good. Two states that are economically challenged will never recover the $$ supposedly misappropriated. My heart goes out to her ex husband, her children, her extended family and loved ones. They have been damaged also. However, my sympathy for her is limited. She needs to take responsibility for her actions. It is amazing that her fans consistently encourage her with comments that the public is "with" her. I don't think so....If she does indeed plead guilty, perhaps this is the first step in turning her life around. If that is the case, the I do support her making restitution and taking her life in a more positive direction.
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troyinohio
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02-19-09 8:00 PM
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your not speaking for me either. If she did it, she should pay for it, not plea so she can stay free to do it again.
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GOTOSCHOOL
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02-19-09 6:34 PM
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Heidi is brilliant but obviously twisted... whattya gonna do sometimes...capitalism breeds this...
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brittany22
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02-19-09 4:41 PM
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no u want speak for me i think what she did was total wrong
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ramon05
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02-19-09 4:30 PM
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we wish you the best heidi. hang in there. I think i speak for everyone and say that our prayers are with you.
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