A Berkeley County Board of Education member who won her seat with nearly 3,800 votes just months ago is now facing a misdemeanor shoplifting charge tied to an incident at a Martinsburg Walmart. Yvonne Jeannette Jenkins, 62, is accused of concealing merchandise valued at less than $500 and fleeing the store in a Mazda SUV on Oct. 14, according to a criminal complaint filed in Berkeley County Magistrate Court.
According to WV MetroNews, the complaint alleges that a woman matching Jenkins's description was seen concealing merchandise and using a different price tag to scan items at checkout. Store loss prevention personnel reportedly confronted her near the cart return area at the store exit after she had already passed the final point of payment without paying for the items, per the complaint detailed in that report, which was also cited in coverage from The Panhandle News Network. Jenkins allegedly left her cart behind, ran from the store area and drove off in a Mazda SUV.
Officers Tracked the Vehicle to an Address Linked to Jenkins
Investigators later located an address associated with Jenkins, where an officer reported seeing a Mazda SUV matching the vehicle captured on Walmart surveillance footage, according to the same account. The officer also reported that the SUV carried the same license plate number that store personnel had supplied to police. Walmart was expected to provide surveillance footage documenting the alleged concealment and price-tag switch, per the complaint.
A Berkeley County magistrate found probable cause to issue an arrest warrant, and Jenkins posted a $500 personal recognizance bond, the station's report notes. She entered a not guilty plea in Berkeley County Magistrate Court. Misdemeanor cases like this one generally fall under the jurisdiction of Berkeley County Magistrate Court, though court documents in that system are not posted online and must be requested directly from the magistrate clerk — meaning the full criminal complaint and case docket remain outside public view for now.
A Narrow Win Turned Headline-Grabbing Case
Jenkins's path to the school board was itself a tight contest. She was elected in May with 3,778 votes, good for 12.96% of the ballots cast in a crowded field, according to the Journal News. She edged out incumbent Damon Wright by just 250 votes, or 0.86 percentage points, in a race that saw 29,510 total votes cast and ultimately brought three new members onto the board. Jenkins was sworn in on July 1.
One Journal News account of the same election lists the board member's first name as Yvonee Jenkins rather than Yvonne, a discrepancy the available records do not resolve.
School District Calls the Matter Personal
Berkeley County Schools has declined to weigh in on the case. A spokesperson said the arrest appears to be a personal matter and that neither the district office nor the Board of Education is in a position to comment on it, per the earlier-cited MetroNews report.
The case remains open, and the available court record does not indicate when Jenkins is next due in Berkeley County Magistrate Court or how the charge will ultimately be resolved.
