CHARLES

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By FRANK LEWIS

PDT Staff Writer

A former Portsmouth Daily Times employee has been arrested and charged with theft, a fifth-degree felony, in connection with a series of thefts from that company.

Joshua D. Charles, 32, whose address is listed as Brookside Drive in Wheelersburg, reportedly told detectives he was living with his father at another Wheelersburg address.

According to sources at the Times, Charles is accused in the theft of at least $4,000 by reportedly pocketing money from the recycling of paper from the company.

“We picked him up a little after 9 o’clock this morning at the Portsmouth Daily Times,” Scioto County Sheriff’s Detective Jodi Conkel said. “I brought him in for questioning, and right after that I placed him under arrest.”

Conkel said Charles was placed in the Scioto County Jail under bond of $2,500 and is scheduled to appear in Portsmouth Municipal Court this morning.

Daily Times General Manager Michael Messerly said the alleged theft did not affect the paper’s billing, advertising or distribution.

Frank Lewis may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 232, or at flewis@heartlandpublications.com.