Tangier men indicted for alleged false claims

By Linda Cicoira

Three Tangier men were indicted Monday by an Accomack Grand Jury on counts of obtaining more than $1,000 by false pretenses.

The indictments were for 47-year-old Fred S. Laird Jr. of Main Ridge Road, 32-year-old Ethan Marshall of Ponderosa Lane, and 48-year-old Michael S. Pruitt of West Ridge Road.

The charges involved more than $1,000 worth of unemployment compensation monies and were brought by Assistant Attorney General Bridget E. Ambrosio. Investigator Brandon E. Price, of the Virginia Marine Police, gave information about the cases to the jury.

Laird’s indictment claims he committed the offense between July 23, 2020, and April 12, 2021. Marshall is accused of the crime between Aug. 23, 2020, and May 30, 2021. Pruitt allegedly obtained money by false pretense between Nov. 15, 2020, and Feb. 28, 2021.

Writs ordering the arrest of the men were issued. The total amounts of money involved in each case were not listed.