Gary Beamer Sentenced to 3-30 Years in Prison

On April 14, Gary Augustus Beamer appeared for sentencing before Braxton County Circuit Judge Michael W. Asbury, Jr. The defendant had previously pled guilty to three felonies for obtaining money by false pretenses related to raising money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and the Alzheimer’s Association through beauty pageants which he ran. Beamer then diverted the money for his own use.
Beamer’s attorney, David Karickhoff ask the Court to grant the defendant home confinement or probation because Mr. Beamer had already paid $10,000 in restitution to the charities and the defendant had accepted responsibility for his actions. Braxton County Prosecutor, Dwayne Vandevender, argued for Beamer to be sentenced to prison. Mr. Vandevender stated that his concern was for the children and charities that Beamer had taken advantage of for many years.
In handing down the sentence, Judge Asbury noted that the people of Braxton County were good and giving people that gave the defendant money believing that they were supporting charities, and that the defendant had taken advantage of them. Judge Asbury sentenced the defendant to 1 to 10 years in prison on each of the three felonies and ordered those sentences to be served consecutively for a total sentence of 3 to 30 years in prison. Gary Beamer was taken into custody immediately and lodged at the Regional Jail pending his transfer to the penitentiary.
On February 20 of this year, Beamer entered a plea of guilty to three felony counts of Obtaining Money, Property and Services by False Pretenses before Judge Asbury.
The guilty plea was related to charges that the defendant had been operating two separate beauty pageants in Braxton County, the Sweethearts of Easter Beauty Pageant purporting to raise money for the Children of St. Jude’s Medical Research Hospital, and the Christmas Pageant purporting to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association and keeping the money for himself.
As part of the plea agreement the defendant agreed to make restitution to the Children of St. Jude’s Medical Research Hospital and the Alzheimer’s Association in the amount of $5,000 to each charity. Beamer also agreed not to be involved in the operation of any charitable pageants in the future.
Sgt. Doug Gordon of the WV State Police was the officer investigating the matter.