Retirement board wants pension terminated

CHARLESTON - The West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement Board is attempting to terminate the pension of a man who pled guilty to several sexual assault and abuse crimes.

The board filed a lawsuit Nov. 21 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Danny Perkins, a former Mercer County schools employee.

The lawsuit says Perkins pled guilty to two counts of sexual assault in the third degree, two counts of sexual abuse by a custodian and one count of displaying obscene materials to a juvenile in Mercer Circuit Court.

Perkins spent five years contributing to the pension, the complaint says. The Public Retirement Board says it has the right to terminate the pension if Perkins performs a "less than honorable service."

Two weeks ago, it filed similar lawsuits against Larry Pauley, a former art teacher who pled guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor; Jerry Weaver, a former Lincoln County Assessor who pled guilty to charges stemming from a vote-buying scheme; and George Bradshaw III, the former commander at the Martinsburg State Police detachment who was found guilty of mail fraud after it was alleged he was embezzling money recovered during drug busts.

Perkins was a teacher at Lashmeet/Makaota Middle School and was sentenced for up to 55 years in prison, though much of the time was suspended.

Jeaneen Legato is handling the case for the board.

Judge Louis Bloom has been assigned the case.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number 06-C-2491