Three Rappahannock residents have their day in court

Charges range from domestic dispute to probation violations

Three Rappahannock defendants appeared in Circuit Court Nov. 26, two facing probation violation charges and another entering into a plea deal with the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. 

Jeremy Newcamp

A Rappahannock man who the prosecution said has a “long history” in Rappahannock County Circuit Court appeared there again last Tuesday seeking bail on a probation violation related to felony charges dating back to 2015. 

“It’s like a broken record, your honor, every time he gets out he violates his probation,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Art Goff told Judge Matthew P. Snow, who ultimately denied bail.

Goff was referring to Jeremy Dylan Newcamp, 29, of Castleton, who was pulled over in Rappahannock on Nov. 16. Spent rounds of ammunition were found in Newcamp’s pocket, along with more ammunition in the vehicle, which as a convicted felon, he is not allowed to possess, Goff said. 

Newcamp also has pending charges in Culpeper County General District Court related to possession of a firearm and hunting violations, and was granted bail there, according to court documents.

Thomas Soldan, representing Newcamp, had asked the judge to consider bail, since Newcamp resides in the county, and has sole custody of his two young children. 

“All of these charges … while they are considered violent … these new violations are a little more technical in nature,” Soldan said. “It’s not something where we’re putting him into the public sphere . . . to be a danger to the community.”

Goff detailed some of Newcamp’s criminal history in Rappahannock, stretching back to juvenile court. Goff said the commonwealth opposed bond, and that he had given Newcamp a second chance once in the past, but he continued to break the law.

“Mr. Newcamp and I have been dealing with each other for quite some time, since I became Commonwealth’s Attorney,” Goff said. “I got soft and didn’t convict him once because he was expecting a little baby … I told him to his face, in front of his attorney, ‘Don’t come back here.’ And now here he sits, on firearm charges.”

When Snow denied bond, he said that Newcamp had violated his probation multiple times in the past, and should understand the rules and conditions. Snow reminded Newcamp that he can appeal the decision.

“At this point, you’re familiar with probation, you know how this works,” Snow said. “I have no mechanism I can use to give this court confidence … the rules around firearms have been clear for nearly a decade.”

Newcamp will appear in court on Dec. 19 for a hearing to decide whether to revoke his probation. 

Barry Fletcher

A Huntly woman, Barry McAlister Fletcher, 61, pleaded guilty in Circuit Court to a reduced charge related to a March 2023 domestic dispute.

According to facts agreed to by the prosecution and defense attorney the following occurred: 

Fletcher called 911 during an altercation with her son at their home. Her son told responding officers his mother “had consumed vodka” and began to yell at him and grabbed his wrists. When he broke away, his mother made a call to authorities. She attempted to close the garage door on the officers, picked up a stapler and shot staples at them before throwing the stapler at an officer, and then threatened them with a wooden stick.

Fletcher also made various other verbal threats and attempts of physical assault toward the responding officers, tried to grab a knife from one of the officers’ pockets and made false allegations of sexual assault, according to the agreed facts.

Fletcher’s attorney Thomas Soldan and Goff struck a plea deal, reducing the original charge of assault on a law enforcement officer to misdemeanor disorderly conduct. An additional charge, fleeing from law enforcement, was not prosecuted.

If a judge accepts the plea agreement at sentencing, Fletcher will receive a one-year suspended jail sentence, a $2,500 fine with $1,500 suspended, and 50 hours of community service and one year of probation. 

Judge Snow said after reading the facts of the case, signed by Goff, Fletcher and her attorney, he hopes Fletcher can “move onward and upward from these types of events” and “reset.”

William McGinnis

William McGinnis, who took a plea deal in June on child abuse charges, appeared in Circuit Court after allegedly violating his probation Oct. 30. 

McGinnis, 41, formerly of Amissville, is in custody at the RSW Regional jail. He was in court to have a lawyer appointed to represent him. The alleged probation violations are failure to follow instructions, be truthful and cooperative, and a special condition — “maintaining no contact with a certain individual”— according to court documents and proceedings. 

In June, Goff said the plea deal was offered because of a concern over enough reasonable doubt in the case to result in a not guilty verdict. McGinnis was already on the sex offender registry when the plea deal was accepted, and Judge Dennis L. Hupp — who presided over the case — accepted the plea deal “with some reluctance,” he said in court. 

McGinnis will appear in court on Dec. 19 for a hearing to decide whether to revoke his probation. 

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