At first, Raymond Copeland thought it was a prank. His face on a “Wanted” post by the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office on Jan. 7 couldn’t be real. But it was.
The Facebook post had named Raymond, a dedicated teen services director for Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Virginia, as a suspect in a York County shooting on Jan. 6, but he didn’t have anything to do with it. His wallet had been stolen over the holiday season, and it was in the possession of one of the people involved in the shooting. Based on nothing but the photo ID in Raymond’s wallet, the victim had identified Raymond as a suspect.
The accusation forced Raymond out of work, causing him to scramble to clear his name and leaving him with lingering questions. Why didn’t the Sheriff’s Office do more to investigate his involvement beyond the testimony of one witness? Why wasn’t due diligence done?
In this podcast, I talk with Raymond about the emotional and professional toll of this experience, and what he is doing to ensure that no one else has to go through what he went through.
To support Raymond as he considers possible legal action, he encourages listeners to reach out to him on Facebook.
Triangle Tidbits: Raymond Copeland Interview