Marietta man arrested on warrant
By ROGER ADKINS, radkins@newsandsentinel.comPARKERSBURG - The businessman behind the Parkersburg Jet Center has been arrested on charges of false pretenses after allegedly hiring a company to provide helicopter tours during the Riverfront Roar in Marietta and then failing to render payment.
Marietta resident William Thayer was arrested Tuesday afternoon on warrants issued by the Wood County Sheriff's Department, said Sgt. Dave Westfall with the department.
Washington County sheriff's deputies arrested Thayer on the Wood County warrant at his Marietta residence. Westfall said the Wood County agency has been receiving information that Thayer is involved in illicit activity.
"We started getting tips that this guy was using fraudulent schemes," Westfall said.
Thayer hired Falcon AirLink Inc. of North Carolina to provide helicopter tours during the Riverfront Roar boat races in Marietta. He allegedly wrote the company a check for the service and canceled it before it could be cashed.
"The bill came to just under $16,000. Thayer wrote the guy a check then canceled it prior to him taking it to the bank and refused to make good on it," Westfall said.
Westfall said Sgt. G. Parsons started an investigation and found that there was enough to get a warrant for Thayer's arrest. The investigation is continuing and may broaden in scope, Westfall said, declining to elaborate.
Thayer will have to be extradited from Washington County on a governor's warrant. It is unknown how long that process will take.
"He may post bond and walk, but he'll have to come here and answer charges," Westfall said.
Thayer signed a 50-year, $10,000-a-month lease with the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport for a hangar and the Civil Air Patrol building in order to establish a jet center. At the time, Thayer said he planned to establish a service facility offering charters for business and pleasure and park as many as six 737s on airport grounds.
Blair Couch, member of the Wood County Airport Authority and Mid-Ohio Valley Airport Authority, said Thayer has paid rent for the facilities at the airport in addition to buying fuel and there have been no problems so far.
"He hasn't billed us for anything and he's paid the rent," Couch said. "He bought a substantial amount of fuel from us and paid for it."
Couch said he is saddened by the circumstances surrounding Thayer's arrest. Airport officials will be watching the situation with interest until it is resolved.
"The hope was he would spur interest in the area through his contacts in other part of the country. We were very excited about it. We certainly we don't want to be associated with anyone that could disparage the airport," Couch said. "We're watching this with great interest. He was someone that we were cautiously optimistic about. I'm saddened by the whole set of circumstances."
Terry Moore, airport manager, said he was surprised and disappointed by the arrest. Airport officials will have to wait and see how the situation unfolds, he said.
"I pretty much have to wait and see. We can't draw any conclusions abased on the arrest. It's kind of disappointing. As far as the airport's relationship goes, he's not in violation of anything to do with the airport," Moore said.
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omgplease
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12-03-08 7:22 PM
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Mr Thayer always paid me too Hes a really nice guy
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nomorebull
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11-30-08 2:46 AM
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Take a deep look into the past...schemes are just the beginning.
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honestyispolicy
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11-27-08 10:30 AM
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Bill is a nice honest man and has never failed to pay me for work
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hasworkedingovt
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11-27-08 8:22 AM
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Heidi Lauchery could maybe have this guy partner up with her for a jet set broadband?
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