Former radio host gets suspended 60-day sentence

By Ben Orcutt -- Daily Staff Writer

FRONT ROYAL — A former radio talk show host may finally have his legal problems behind him.

William Randolph "Randy" Wray, 46, with a last known address of 606 Randolph Ave., Front Royal, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in Warren County General District Court to driving under the influence on May 28, first offense.

Judge W. Dale Houff accepted a plea agreement worked out by Winchester defense attorney Roger A. Inger and Kelly A. Hines, an intern with the Warren County commonwealth attorney's office.

Per the agreement, Houff sentenced Wray to 60 days in jail, all suspended, and ordered that the defendant pay a fine and court costs totaling $431. Houff suspended Wray's operator's license for one year, but will allow Wray to apply for a restricted driver's license.

In exchange for his guilty plea, Houff dismissed a May 28 charge of failure to stop at a stop sign.

Asked if he had any comment as he was leaving the courthouse, Wray replied, "No sir."

Wray was the host of "FitTalk with Randy Wray" on WZRV-FM in Front Royal between September 2007 and January.

The Frederick County Sheriff's Office distributed a wanted poster for Wray on July 26 after he missed his fourth consecutive sentencing date in Frederick County Circuit Court on July 10 for a misdemeanor embezzlement conviction.

On July 30, Wray appeared in Frederick County Circuit Court, two weeks after Judge John R. Prosser issued a warrant for his arrest.

Prosser ordered Wray to serve six months of a 12-month jail term and pay $1,500 of a $2,500 fine, plus $780 in restitution to the Fitness Zone, for taking money from the Frederick County business.

A March 12 plea agreement between Inger and Frederick County Commonwealth's Attorney Glenn R. Williamson called for the felony embezzlement charge to be reduced to a misdemeanor. Authorities charged Wray with taking money from the Fitness Zone around Nov. 1, 2006, and arrested him in August 2007.

At the sentencing, Inger asked Prosser not to make his client serve time in jail because Wray has a medical condition. Williamson argued that Wray should serve the maximum 12 months in jail because the defendant has an "extensive" criminal history with 10 felony convictions, including one for assault and battery.

A fitness trainer, Wray told the judge that he charged some clients at the Fitness Zone, at the Sportsplex in Kernstown, less than the regular rate when they couldn't afford to pay. The defense had several witnesses appear in court to testify to Wray's character, but they did not take the stand.

"I didn't know it was illegal," Wray said. "I didn't do this out of greed."

Wray testified at his sentencing that a doctor recently diagnosed him with extrinsic, or allergic, and intrinsic, or non-allergic, asthma after he made several visits to area hospitals. The defendant told the judge that he had been in area hospitals on at least two dates previously set by the court for his sentencing.

Wray acknowledged having a criminal history but said, "That's all behind me."

Inger asked that his client have his sentence transferred to Warren County, so Wray would be able to serve the time on home-electronic monitoring.

Also on July 30, Houff sentenced Wray to 12 months in jail, all suspended, for misdemeanor embezzlement from Front Royal Fitness between June 2 and Nov. 13, 2004. The charge was reduced from a felony, according to the terms of a plea agreement. Wray also must pay $727.20 in restitution to Front Royal Fitness.

Houff dismissed a count of obtaining money by false pretenses, saying that prosecutors had not presented enough evidence.

* Contact Ben Orcutt at borcutt@nvdaily.com