ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 2, 1994                   TAG: 9403020033
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

FIRED OFFICIAL CHECKED FOR FUND MISUSE

Virginia State Police are searching former Virginia General Services Director Raymond Patterson's personal bank records while investigating allegations of embezzlement and misuse of public money.

Patterson wrongly billed the state for at least $4,200 in personal expenses before he was fired last fall by then-Gov. Douglas Wilder, police allege in documents filed in Henrico County Circuit Court.

James Sheffield, Patterson's lawyer, said Monday his client reimbursed the state for appropriate expenses and followed the same expense billing procedures as other state officials.

"All of these officials conducted themselves as he did," Sheffield said. "He doesn't understand why all of this attention is being focused on him." - Associated Press 


 by CNB