PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A former state representative already serving time in prison is facing more legal trouble, following a new indictment handed down yesterday.
Wendell Keith Hall is currently serving an 84-month sentence at the U.S. Penitentiary McCreary, after being convicted of bribing a mine inspector to overlook violations at his mines. Now Hall has been indicted on federal charges of wire fraud, identity theft and making false statements in conjunction with a business owned by his son and ex-wife.
Authorities allege Hall falsely represented to a mining company that S&H Chemical Company carried liability and worker’s compensation insurance, when it in fact did not. Those representations included sending emails claiming to be his son, with counterfeit or altered insurance certificates attached.
Hall now faces three counts of wire fraud, two counts of identity theft, and one count of making a false statement to the FBI. The wire fraud charges are the most serious, with a potential prison sentence of 20 years for each count.
Hall will appear in court Dec. 1.