Judge denies request to reduce felony embezzlement to misdemeanor of former New Kent employee

A former New Kent County employee had a request to reduce a felony embezzlement charge reduced to a misdemeanor during formal sentencing in New Kent Circuit Court Monday morning.

Andrew James Dorish Jr., 34, of the 5200 block of Cold Harbor Road, Mechanicsville, received a 10-year sentence with all time suspended on one count of felony embezzlement. Twelve months on each of four remaining charges of misdemeanor embezzlement were all suspended as well. While Dorish will not serve any active time in jail, he must pay restitution in the amount of $9,400.97.

During a Mar. 12 trial, Dorish agreed to terms of a plea deal, entering not guilty pleas to the charges but stipulating that evidence presented in the case would be enough to convict him.

In a summary of evidence presented at that trial, on Oct. 13, 2016, a New Kent citizen came and paid her taxes at the treasurer’s office in the amount of $1,189.54. On Feb. 10, 2017, that same citizen received a voicemail that said she had delinquent taxes. When she was notified by the Department of Motor Vehicles, the victim returned to the office and paid the taxes again but told Dorish, who handled the original transaction, that she had paid them once before.

After an audit was conducted, money came up missing and an investigation was launched. Evidence revealed that Dorish was voiding transactions and pocketing the funds. Along with the above-mentioned figure, the defendant pocketed penalty fees and interest, leading to the four misdemeanor charges. In total, 28 suspicious transactions were detected. When interviewed by authorities, Dorish admitted in writing that he took the money to pay for outstanding medical bills and his car payment.

In other circuit court cases:

–Brayan Rene Polanco-Gonzalez, 18, accepted a plea agreement to one count of felony hit and run.

In a summary of evidence, on Dec. 30, 2017 around 1 a.m., Michael Todd called Virginia State Police to report that his car had been rear-ended on Interstate 64 eastbound just before the 216-mile marker. Todd said the vehicle never stopped. A responding trooper interviewed the victim before proceeding down the Interstate 64 to search for a vehicle. About a mile later, the trooper noticed a blue car with heavy front damage that corresponded to damage received by Todd’s vehicle. The driver, identified as Polanco-Gonzalez by his Guatemalan identification card, had an odor of alcohol. When questioned if he crashed, Polanco said that he was trying to get to his home on Airport Road in Sandston (more than 20 miles away). Polanco-Gonzalez was arrested for the hit and run and pleaded guilty to DUI (second offense) and DUI revoked in general district court.

Under the plea agreement, Polanco-Gonzalez received a five-year jail sentence with four years, six months suspended (six months to serve).

–Nicolas Andres Santiago, 19, of the 100 block of Genlou Road, Chesterfield, received formal sentencing and will serve three months in jail to one charge of felony eluding. During a Feb. 12 trial, a summary of evidence said a Virginia State Trooper attempted to pull over a motorcycle that had a loud exhaust pipe and no light shining on the license plate. A chase began in New Kent, ending in Hanover County where speeds reached more than 130 miles per hour. The motorcycle eventually wrecked and the operator, identified as Santiago, was taken into custody.

Santiago received a five-year jail sentence with four years, nine months suspended under the condition that he completes the C-Cap program. All 30 days on a misdemeanor pretrial violation were suspended.