Suffolk News-Herald

Abraham Applewhite, the former owner of Carver Memorial Cemetery, was in Suffolk Circuit Court Thursday to answer to charges related to his operation of the business.

Applewhite, 51, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges of writing checks on a closed account, one count of obtaining money by false pretenses and failing to deposit money into the cemetery’s perpetual care fund at Wachovia Bank.

Applewhite will be sentenced on Aug. 26.

Earlier this month, Applewhite sold the family-owned cemetery for $200,000, just weeks before it was slated to hit the public auction block for back taxes.

The action came after the state cemetery board stripped Applewhite of the cemetery’s operating license last August. Prior to that, the city and state had received numerous complaints about the poor condition and lack of upkeep at the East Washington Street graveyard.