Rodney And Julie face federal obstruction charge over faked death
Rodney, 48, and Julie Wheeler, 44, were indicted for conspiracy to obstruct justice. The new charges come from a plan to fake Julie Wheeler’s death.
"Julie Wheeler knowingly conspired with her husband, Rodney, to falsely report her fall from the New River Gorge National River,” said the United States Attorney Mike Stuart.
Wheeler falsely reported Wheeler fell from the overlook at Grandview Park on May 31, 2020. This led to a massive search and rescue effort. It came to a close when West Virginia State Troopers searched their home in Beaver and found Julie Wheeler hiding in a closet.
Wheeler was already convicted of federal health care fraud for a most heinous crime of fraudulently obtaining nearly $300,000 from the VA’s spina bifida fund.
The Wheelers are also charged for numerous felony and misdemeanor offenses in West Virginia for falsely reporting an emergency.
Julie Wheeler was sentenced 42 months in prison on June 30, 2020 for health care fraud. She will also have three years of supervised release and is ordered to pay $289,055.07 in restitution. She pleaded guilty on Feb. 11, 2020.