COURTLAND
The Southampton County Sheriff’s Office has summons outstanding for David Lee Newell III, 32, of Suffolk, for failure to obtain a business license in connection with his overcharging for gravel driveway repairs within Southampton and Isle of Wight counties.

Newell, who drives a 1991 Ford F-250 with Virginia registration VFY 3035, has been accompanied by several other individuals when he tells prospective customers that he has gravel left over from another job. The sheriff’s office has been made aware of this occurrence three times in as many days, hence the summons.

Major Gene H. Drewery, spokesman for the sheriff’s office, said that Newell has since contacted the deputies and will be coming in on his own recognizance.

Newell has a history of run-ins with the law dating back to 2005. Records show that he was charged with and pleaded guilty to failure to obey highway signs, endangerment and eluding police. Newell was sentenced to two years in prison, had his license revoked for 60 days, paid $963 in various fines and court costs, but served no jail time when the sentence was suspended. He instead served three years probation.

In 2010, he was sentenced to ten years in prison after he was found guilty of possession of oxycodone and pleaded guilty to obtaining prescriptions by fraud and forgery/uttering. Again, Newell served no jail time, but paid more than $2,845 in court costs and fines and was placed on eight years probation.

As recently as May 7, Newell was charged with driving without a license when he was pulled over for traveling 50 miles per hour in a designated 35 mile per hour area, to which he paid $286 in various fines and court costs.

Drewery said that if you are contacted by Newell or someone offering to do similar work, you should refuse the offer and contact their office at 653-2100; Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office at 357-2151; or your local law enforcement agency.