Circulation 14,000 Free December 15, 2017 Two Life Sentences Court Affirms Fines for Muslimani And Jail Time In Former wife sentenced to Wetlands Case time served for her role By Stefanie Jackson Benjamin Mathai, of Manassas, was in abuse of daughter sentenced in Northampton County Cir- By Linda Cicoira cuit Court Monday to a total of 40 days The 12-year-old Onancock girl was kept in jail and fined $3,000 for clear-cutting inside, out of school and in baggy clothes, approximately three acres of protected to hide the pregnancy conceived after her wetlands on his Exmore property with- stepfather repeatedly raped her, all while out a permit in August. a woman she now calls her “birth mother” The landmark decision was the on- followed his orders and stuffed herself with ly instance Commonwealth’s Attor- a pillow to mimic the condition and cover ney Bruce Jones could recall in which a any possible questions that might develop Northampton judge handed down a jail as a result of the upcoming delivery. sentence for violations regarding un- About 30 years after Stacey Johnson permitted wetlands use and soil distur- Spione, now 43, of Northampton, lived that bance. Judge W. Revell Lewis III disre- appalling childhood, she finally found jus- garded the request of defense attorney, tice. Wednesday, a jury convicted Khalil Adam Carroll, to give Mathai communi- Muslimani, 70, of Robins Lane in Onan- ty service instead. cock, of rape and taking indecent liberties Mathai was found guilty of three with his oldest stepdaughter. Spione was misdemeanors. For unpermitted en- 11 when she says she was first impregnat- croachment into the Chesapeake Bay ed by him and taken to North Carolina Resource Protection Area, an unclassi- for an abortion. She had four children by fied misdemeanor, he was fined $1,000. the man by the age of 16 and court records For use of wetlands without a permit, show a marriage license was obtained by and unpermitted land disturbing ac- him with the wrong birthdate for her. tivity, both classified misdemeanors, Spione consented to her name being Mathai was given fines totaling $5,000, used for this article. She said she wants with $3,000 suspended, and jail sen- to make a difference for others, who have tences totaling 24 months, with all but also been abused and is working with the 40 days suspended. He was permitted state to abolish a time limit for victims to serve his time on weekends. (Continued on Page 6) Lewis denied Carroll’s request for his client to begin serving time after the Photo by Linda Cicoira first of the year, and ordered Mathai to Part Two of our three-part report to jail at 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15. interview with ‘Snow’ Secret Who Loves a Parade! Judge Gordon Vincent found Mathai This snow baby was bundled up tight for the Onancock Christmas Parade. Tonya Bundick guilty of all three offenses on Sept. 11, but While other parades scheduled for earlier in the weekend were canceled and Charlie Smith starts Carroll filed an appeal that same after- due to snow, slush and generally miserable conditions, skies had cleared on Page 25. noon. The appeal was withdrawn Dec. 5, in time for Sunday’s parade. (Continued on Page 2) 2 • EASTERN SHORE POST • DECEMBER 15, 2017 Mathai admitted that he was at the removed near the house. None of the sentence to deter similar behaviors” by ~ Wetlands~ property Aug. 6 “to make a payment” to trees removed from the property were other wealthy property owners who may (Continued From Front Page) the contractor he hired on Craigslist, and near the house. not be dissuaded by hefty fines. when Mathai pleaded guilty. knew he needed a permit for the work be- Jones stated there was no “good faith” In addition to the 40-day jail term In court on Monday, Mathai apologized ing performed. error in the case, and disagreed with Car- and $3,000 in fines, Lewis sentenced and said he accepted responsibility for the However, Mathai said he did not roll’s assessment that Mathai commit- Mathai to five years of probation, the wetlands destruction, but it did not earn recall the Aug. 9 phone conversation ted no “moral wrong.” Jones contended same length of time as the monitoring him any leniency with the judge. Neither between himself and then-wetlands Mathai “got what he wanted” — a bet- period for the wetlands restoration and did the testimony of George Dilley, the board enforcement agent Kelley Parks, ter view of the water — and was not tru- mitigation agreement. The court will re- Northampton-based marine construc- in which he claimed he was not there ly remorseful, but merely “sorry he got visit the case Jan. 21, 2019, to review tion contractor in charge of the wetlands Aug. 6, and only wanted about 200 trees caught.” Jones asked the judge for a “stiff mitigation progress. restoration on Mathai's property. He said Mathai has been “cooperative” and calls SCHOOL BOARD REJECTS COAST GUARD SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT REQUEST him once a week to discuss the progress of the wetlands restoration. By Connie Morrison Wester in a letter to board Chairman “which is based on residency, not place Mathai paid the $7,500 fine, the high- Coast Guard members again appeared Ronnie E. Holden. “Additionally, fami- of employment.” He suggested the Coast est that can be imposed by the coun- before the Accomack School Board to re- lies ... would be responsible for trans- Guard, instead, change its housing policy. ty wetlands board. He has paid about quest a waiver from the school zone atten- porting their own children to and from Deputy Capt. Kevin Carroll, who $137,000 for the wetlands restoration, dance policy to allow children of service Chincoteague Elementary School.” made the request to the board, said a a figure he expects to climb to $160,000 members stationed in Chincoteague to at- Following their request, Superin- housing waiver is not possible. “Con- by the time the project is completed. tend Chincoteague Elementary School. tendent Chris Holland called forward gress said if you have housing available, Mathai estimated he has paid between Service members are required to live at Kegotank Principal Jennifer Annis you must have them live there.” $8,000 and $12,000 to land consul- Wallops, which is in the Kegotank school and Vice Principal Amber Yorko for a Board member Paul Bull said they tant Ellen Grimes, $32,000 to engineer zone, and Coast Guard members say the presentation about Kegotank Elemen- are looking out for all 5,000 students John Salms, and between $70,000 and 26-minute drive from the Chincoteague tary, its strengths, and the contribu- in the district and can’t section off $78,000 to George Dilley to date. station to Kegotank makes it difficult for tions of military families to the school. groups for special treatment. “Every- He said the criminal proceedings them to be involved in their children’s Upon the conclusion of the presenta- one considers themselves different.” against him ruined the “solitude, peace- school activities when they are working. tion, Holland read a prepared statement “We appreciate your service ... but fulness, [and] calm” he sought in pur- “To be clear, this is not a request to in which he said he could not “in good con- we will not be granting your waiver,” chasing property on the Eastern Shore. adjust boundary lines,” said Capt. 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