Robert Tyler Hodge Indicted on 30 Counts at Tug Valley High School
Robert Tyler Hodge was indicted this week on 30 counts tied to money raised for tug valley high school basketball. He was later arrested Friday by the Mingo County Sheriff’s office and is free on bond.
The indictment centers on $5,990 in donations for the Tug Valley High School basketball program. Prosecutors say the money was first deposited into the Panther Pride bank account, then withdrawn by Hodge and directed into a grocery store business account he owned.
Mingo County Charges
The indictment includes 13 counts of computer fraud, 12 counts of unauthorized use of an access device, two counts of obtaining money by false pretenses, two counts of fraudulent schemes and one count of money laundering. Those charges turn a school fundraising dispute into a broad criminal case, with the alleged conduct reaching beyond one transaction.
The filing also says the purchases tied to the case involved stores, restaurants and on-line retailers. That detail widens the scope of the allegations and suggests the money moved through several channels before the indictment was handed up.
Board of Education Response
The Mingo County Board of Education said it was aware of the recent indictment involving an assistant boys’ basketball coach at Tug Valley High School. It said, “The allegations outlined in the indictment are, to say the least, deeply concerning and alarming.”
The district also said, “Our primary focus remains on supporting our students and ensuring that our schools and extracurricular programs continue to operate with integrity, accountability, and transparency.” It added that it would continue to monitor the situation and take any actions that may be necessary and appropriate under applicable law and district policy.
Because the matter remains active, the school system said, “Because this is an active criminal matter, no further comments will be issued by the school system.” For Tug Valley, the immediate issue is not a schedule change or a game result but whether a trust placed in a school sports program can be rebuilt after a 30-count indictment and a Friday arrest.
