The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia has reached a non-prosecution agreement with Michael Elijah Leonard, a member of the Town Council in Lebanon, Virginia, and his sister Amber Musick. The siblings are involved in various automotive businesses and had previously secured contracts for work with the Town of Lebanon.
Court documents reveal that Leonard, who has been serving on the Town Council since 2020, is also a director and owner of Leonard Automotive. In December 2022, Musick submitted bids for work under the name Appalachian Collision & Auto Parts, Inc., which she solely owned but lacked assets. All services for any contracts obtained by Appalachian Collision were provided by Leonard Automotive.
Leonard abstained from voting on the bids submitted by Appalachian Collision & Auto Parts, Inc. during Town Council meetings. Despite this, he was aware that Leonard Automotive would perform the contracted work. The Town of Lebanon paid over $10,000 to Appalachian Collision for services actually rendered by Leonard’s company.
In an agreement reached last December with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia, Leonard Automotive, Appalachian Collision & Auto Parts, Inc., Michael Elijah Leonard, and Amber Musick decided that Appalachian Collision would return the funds it received from the town. They also agreed to dissolve Appalachian Collision & Auto Parts, Inc. and submit all future public entity bids solely under Leonard Automotive.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Macon is handling prosecution responsibilities.