By Stephen H. Cowles

Special to the News-Herald

A former Isle of Wight County School Board chairman was sentenced on Dec. 7 to serve six months in jail for credit card fraud, identity theft and 15 counts of grand larceny, according to an online court system.

Kent Elvis Hildebrand, of Carrollton, was arrested on July 20, 2015, following a months-long investigation into allegations that he had stolen from an elderly person living in a mobile home park that he managed.

Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Tommy Potter stated that at the time of the arrest, “the investigation determined that over a seven-year period Hildebrand had stolen over $200,000 from the victim.”

Hildebrand represented the Newport District of the school division from November 2011 until mid-March 2015. He suddenly announced his resignation claiming “personal reasons” for leaving.

The online court system indicated Hildebrand filed an Alford plea to each charge, which means he didn’t admit to the charges, but acknowledged that they could be proved.

The crimes took place ranging from 2008 to 2015.

In addition to the jail time, Hildebrand must pay $70,000 in restitution and $6,929 in costs; he was given five years supervised probation.