⏱ 2 min read
A Charleston man’s destructive outburst landed him in hot water. Joe Claude Schleider, 66, smashed an electric card entry scanner outside a federal facility in Charleston, West Virginia, on May 6, 2025, causing an estimated $1,800 in damages.
Surveillance footage caught Schleider whacking the scanner with a long metal pole-like object no fewer than eight times. The incident went to trial, with Judge Thomas E. Johnston handing down a guilty verdict on April 14, 2026.
With sentencing set for July 6, 2026, Schleider’s facing up to 10 years behind bars, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Federal Protective Service and the Charleston Police Department commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lesley C. Shamblin and Joshua Hanks, who nailed the case.
Schleider’s actions have consequences, and now he’ll have to face the music. The federal facility he targeted remains secure, with the community breathing a sigh of relief.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Public Corruption
- Defendant: West Virginia
- Location: WV
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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