Coston v. Commonwealth

OVERTON, Senior Judge.

Cornelius Coston (defendant) appeals his conviction for forgery óf a public record, in violation of Code § 18.2-168. He contends that the summons he signed was not a public record because it was not issued by a “public officer or public employee.” Code § 18.2-168. We hold that a “public officer” did issue the summons, and we affirm.

On November 9, 1996, Sergeant Anthony Primus was employed as a security guard assigned to the Huntersville Apartments, a privately owned apartment complex in Norfolk, Virginia. Primus was licensed by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice…