Former DOH technician pleads guilty after filing false expense reports

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A former state Division of Highways employee pleaded guilty Monday to an expense report scheme in an attempt to defraud West Virginia.

Steven Hull, 54, of Jane Lew, entered a guilty plea to mail fraud, admitting to inflating expenses between January 2011 and January 2017. Hull, who worked as an engineering technician, admitted while he did have to stay overnight at hotels as part of his job, he falsely reported the number of nights he stayed and the amount of money he paid for lodging.

This includes reporting beginning in June 2014, in which Hull reported he was staying at a Holiday Inn when he was actually renting a room from a less expensive hotel on monthly basis.

As part of his plea agreement, Hull will pay at least $52,509.14 to the state.

Hull will be sentenced May 15 and faces up to 20 years in prison.