CHARLESTON — An Ohio County magistrate has been suspended without pay after being indicted on charges of wire fraud, bribery and tax fraud.
West Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Margaret Workman ordered the suspension of Magistrate Harry Radcliffe III, according to an administrative order.
Magistrate Robin Snyder also was suspended, according to the administrative order, for mishandling a case that resulted in the death of two allegedly vicious dogs.
The administrative order states that Chief Judge of the First Judicial Circuit Ronald E. Wilson requested that a senior status magistrate be assigned to preside over Brooke County and Ohio County in Radcliffe and Snyder's absences.
Workman agreed, and recalled Magistrate James "Dan" Moody to active service to preside over the counties temporarily.
Moody will remain in the counties until July 13. Senior Status Magistrate George F. Fahey then will take over for Moody for Ohio County.
Snyder's suspension will be lifted July 13.
Radcliffe was suspended after a federal grand jury indicted him on the three charges. He was accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from a bail bonds company and concealing the bribes from the state and the Internal Revenue Service.
He also was accused of directing defendants to A Bail Bonding of Wheeling instead of offering them all of their options as required by law.
Radcliffe was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery, and Travel Act bribery, three counts of wire fraud and three counts of filing a false income tax return, according to a news release from the state Department of Justice.
Radcliffe also allegedly failed to report $11,000 in income on his 2013 and 2014 federal income taxes. He allegedly failed to report $4,500 on his 2015 federal taxes.
Radcliffe faces up to 89 years in prison for the combined counts and up to $2.25 million in fines. The alleged crimes happened between 2012 and 2016.
Snyder was suspended 35 days and required to pay a fine of $2,518 for the costs of the judicial panel investigation.