MEMPHIS -- An ex-con who served two years in prison for theft is installing satellite TV service in Mid-South homes.
28-year-old Virgil Vanarsdale of Memphis works for Megatech, Inc., one of DirecTV's Mid-South subcontractors. Court records show Vanarsdale pleaded guilty to felony theft of property in 1997. The records don't indicate what he stole, but the value was more than $500. Records also show Vanarsdale has not been arrested for any other crimes since serving his sentence.
"I personally believe that if somebody has an issue with the law, and they serve their time, and they come out attempting to reform -- that as long as they're staying on the up-and-up that we should give them that chance," says Tim Anderson, Vanarsdale's boss at Megatech, Inc.
Anderson originally planned to allow Vanarsdale to be interviewed by 3 On Your Side, but Megatech's corporate officials declined our request.
Anderson says he knew Vanarsdale was an ex-con when he hired him because he worked with Vanarsdale at another DirecTV subcontractor, Direct Tech in Atoka, Tennessee. Don Martin, Direct Tech's manager, says Vanarsdale left his company last March when the company switched from contractor status to employee status, and Vanarsdale failed to reapply.
Anderson says Vanarsdale's employment should not be an issue, especially since he hasn't been charged with a crime since his release from prison. "In addition to that, he does not go into customers' homes alone," says Anderson. "I have another technician that goes with him on every single job. We've taken precautions."
Anderson says Megatech will implement mandatory criminal background checks by March 27 as well as drug tests for all employees.
Jerry Stiles, a DirecTV customer, says ex-cons have got to work somewhere, or they'll end up in trouble again. "It's a good thing if they get a job," he says, "and it wouldn't bother me if someone came in my house who was a convicted felon. I think they have paid their dues."
http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=4668441
28-year-old Virgil Vanarsdale of Memphis works for Megatech, Inc., one of DirecTV's Mid-South subcontractors. Court records show Vanarsdale pleaded guilty to felony theft of property in 1997. The records don't indicate what he stole, but the value was more than $500. Records also show Vanarsdale has not been arrested for any other crimes since serving his sentence.
"I personally believe that if somebody has an issue with the law, and they serve their time, and they come out attempting to reform -- that as long as they're staying on the up-and-up that we should give them that chance," says Tim Anderson, Vanarsdale's boss at Megatech, Inc.
Anderson originally planned to allow Vanarsdale to be interviewed by 3 On Your Side, but Megatech's corporate officials declined our request.
Anderson says he knew Vanarsdale was an ex-con when he hired him because he worked with Vanarsdale at another DirecTV subcontractor, Direct Tech in Atoka, Tennessee. Don Martin, Direct Tech's manager, says Vanarsdale left his company last March when the company switched from contractor status to employee status, and Vanarsdale failed to reapply.
Anderson says Vanarsdale's employment should not be an issue, especially since he hasn't been charged with a crime since his release from prison. "In addition to that, he does not go into customers' homes alone," says Anderson. "I have another technician that goes with him on every single job. We've taken precautions."
Anderson says Megatech will implement mandatory criminal background checks by March 27 as well as drug tests for all employees.
Jerry Stiles, a DirecTV customer, says ex-cons have got to work somewhere, or they'll end up in trouble again. "It's a good thing if they get a job," he says, "and it wouldn't bother me if someone came in my house who was a convicted felon. I think they have paid their dues."
http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=4668441
