NEWS
‘Married” web pair hit a snag
A West Virginia man’s internet relationship with a 16-year-old Bowie girl lead to his arrest for online solicitation of a minor.
Montague County Chief Deputy Jack Lawson said this was one of the more unusual cases they have dealt with that centered on interactions between the pair across the internet.
He explained that Dylan Ray Riffle, 24, Walkersville, WV was arrested on April 4 after he reportedly arrived at the home of the teenage girl to whom he reportedly married over the internet. The pair supposedly first came into contact through a virtual reality program.
Riffle said the girl told him she was 20 years old. Riffle has no criminal history said Lawson and the pair had never met in person.
“They supposedly got married on the internet, he even had a ring, but they skipped the license and age. He was supposed to meet her in Galveston, but then when she could not get there he went to Bridgeport and then took an Uber to the girl’s residence in the Bowie area. A neighbor contacted the girl’s father and when he came home they were outside. Riffle was arrested,” explained Lawson.
Bond for Riffle on a third degree felony, was set at $20,000.
Gregory Bell, 58, Saint Jo, was found guilty of the murder of Tia Hutson, 50, also of Saint Jo after less than an hour of jury deliberation Thursday afternoon.
She was found beaten and raped in her home in August 2022 and six days later never regaining consciousness. The jury also deliberated Bell’s sentence giving him the maximum life in prison and a $10,000 find. It took them less than half an hour to make the decision. A deadly finding also determined a large flashlight was used as a deadly weapon.
As the jury left the courtroom some members were seen hugging Trevor Riley, Tia Hutson’s who had given a powerful victim’s statement to the court.
Staff and volunteers at the Bowie Mission continue to be plagued by people who dump their unwanted furniture and other items at their gates and doors. Despite having signs stating this is illegal and that there are surveillance cameras on scene, dumpers don’t seem to be phased.
This past week several large pieces of furniture were dumped right in front of the gate where the trailer used to go pick up food bank items is stored. Cynthia Brewer, director said most of the volunteers are older and it is difficult to get these large items moved out of the way. She is at her wit’s end trying to get people to stop dumping and while she hesitates to file police charges the situation is getting untenable as people continue to violate the policy.
Anyone who observes illegal dumping at the mission is urged to call the police 872-2251.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Six months into its fiscal year, the City of Bowie’s budget is meeting its half-way point in revenues and expenses with the exception of the water department where inflation and the cost of supplies is taking a toll.
Finance Director Pamela Woods presented the second quarter report to the city council last week and said they are looking at a nearly half million deficit during the first six months in the water department.
During the first six months of the year the utility fund has brought in more than $6 million in revenue across water, sewer in electric. In addition the city had a certificate of deposit here that had garnered strong interest which officials cashed out and put into operating funds.
Read the full story in the May 1 Bowie News.
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