Horntown man gets four years for three separate incidents

By Linda Cicoira

A Horntown man was sentenced to four years of active time in prison Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court for offenses that occurred in three separate incidents.

Twenty-seven-year-old Larry William Austin pleaded guilty to charges that occurred in 2022 2023 and 2024. They included eluding, receiving a stolen vehicle, forgery, grand larceny and obtaining money by false pretenses.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan said Austin had prior convictions that dated back to 2013, and that he refused to tell authorities who was with him when he eluded police while speeding and struck a tree in the Horntown area in 2023.

“He does not seem to be sincere,” the prosecutor said. “Mr. Austin just seems to not really care.”

Defense lawyer said Austin wanted to leave local bad influences behind by moving to Delaware where his mother and sister live. They said he had planned to get a barber’s license and support his children.

“I would just like to say, I know what I did was wrong,” said Austin, who had already served a year in jail.

In addition to the terms, the defendant was ordered to pay restitution and court costs. Upon release, Austin will be on supervised probation for three years and good behavior for five years.

In another case 35 year-old Travis Ross Marshall, of Hog Ridge Road on Tangier Island, was sentenced to two active years in prison for possession of cocaine on Feb. 12, 2025, and for violating probation when he possessed the drug. He will be on supervised probation for three years and good behavior for 10 years.

Thirty-eight-year-old Mark Dulaney Wheatley, of Hopeton Road in Parksley, was sentenced to three years in prison for possessing a cell phone while he was an inmate at the county jail. All but the time served was suspended. He was put on supervised probation for two years, and good behavior for five years.

Judgment was withheld for Wheatley for a May 22 charge of possession of methamphetamine. It was ordered that he be evaluated for a treatment program and comply with the probation department’s recommendation. If he does that and remains on good behavior, completes 100 hours of community service, and stays alcohol and drug free for a year, the charge will be dismissed.

Twenty-nine-year-old Kimberly Wolfgang, of Main Street in Hallwood, also pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and was treated in the same manner through the first offender program. Her attorney said that she just completed rehab.