FD-302 — No. 4:24-cr-00004 (Dkt. 61-2, E.D. Va.)

Summary

This FBI FD-302, filed December 11, 2024 at Docket 61-2 in Case No. 4:24-cr-00004 in the Eastern District of Virginia, records an interview, entered January 12, 2023, with the owner of a concrete company, Master Crete and Sons. In July 2020 a Newport News homeowner who had paid David Merryman between $3000 and $3500 for driveway work that was never done hired the contractor instead. On or about July 8, 2020, a caller who gave the name David Merryman used a racial slur and said repeatedly 'I'm going to kill you.' The contractor also recounted Merryman using the same slur toward a barber who had asked for a water leak to be fixed.

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FD-302 (Rev. 5-8-10)

Case 4:24-cr-00004-RAJ-DEM Document 61-2 Filed 12/11/24 Page 1 of 3 PagelD# 545

-1l of 3-
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Date of entry 01/12/2023

BE «1-32, approximately 65 years old, residing at xx,
Hampton, Virginia 23669, telephone BE - 52609, was interviewed at his

residence. After being advised of the identities of the interviewing agents
and the nature of the interview, Sledge provided the following information:

Sledge has a concrete company called Master Crete and Sons. In July of
2020, Sledge was contacted by a homeowner named [first name unknown, or FNU]
Bowman, who lives on 19% street in Newport News, Virginia. Bowman advised
Sledge that he (Bowman) hired a man named David Merryman to do his driveway,
and had paid Merryman between $3000 and $3500 already to do it, but Merryman
had “torn up [Bowman’s] yard,” and not done any of the work on the driveway.

Bowman and his wife did some online research on David Merryman, and found
eut that Merryman had a history of racist aggression, including using racial
slurs against public officials and others, and “running down boys” in his
truck. Bowman gave Sledge the printouts from Bowman’s online research, and
told Sledge he did not want Merryman to do the driveway work.

Sledge did the work on Bowman’s driveway. He had to “start from scratch”
on the job. On or about 7/8/20, Sledge got a call from phone number 757-435-
2700 [investigator’s note: 757-435-2700 is a phone number known to be
associated with David Merryman]. The caller identified himself as David
Merryman. In an irate tone, Merryman told Sledge “you stole my job, nigger,”
and threatened “I’m going to kill your ass and take you to court, nigger.”
Merryman reiterated multiple times “I’m going to kill you,” and referred to
Sledge as a “nigger” multiple times during the course of Merryman’s phone
call, which Sledge ended by hanging up.

Merryman got Sledge’s number through mutual contacts at Rappahannock
Concrete.

In light of Merryman’s death threats, Sledge attempted to take out a
protective order against Merryman. Sledge initially spoke to a uniformed
Hampton Police Division (HPD) officer named Beacham. Officer Beacham told
Sledge he (Beacham) would handle the matter, but HPD kept giving Sledge “the

Investigationon O1/06/2023 a Hampton, Virginia, United States (In Person)

File# 44A-NF-3607308 Datedrafted 01/06/2023

by

Theodore Y. Roese, James I Webster Jr

This document contains neither recommendations-ner conclusions of the FBI. It isthe property of the FBI and is leaned to your agency; it-and_its contents are not
to be distributed outside your agency.

Casg, 4:24-cr-00004-RAJ-DEM Document 61-2 Filed 12/11/24 Page 2 of 3 PagelD# 546

FD-302a (Rev~5-

44A-NF-3607308
Continuation of FD-302 of (U) Interview of | BREE ,On 01/06/2023 page 2 of 3

runaround.” Sledge ultimately attended four court appointments, and took
Bowman to each of these appointments as a witness, but Merryman never showed
up for any of the appointments, and the courts “discontinued” the case.
Bowman told Sledge that he (Bowman) would not go to any more court
appointments, and Sledge heard that Merryman had never been served with the
summons. Sledge did get a protective order against Merryman.

At about 4 PM on 3/2/21, Sledge was working at a house on Shell Road.
Merryman showed up in an unmarked truck. Sledge had never met Merryman face
to face until that time, but Sledge recognized Merryman both from the online
research Bowman had given him, and from seeing Merryman’s work trucks in the
area. Merryman was conversing with others who were at the work site, but
Sledge was on his knees doing some concrete work, and was not paying any
attention to what Merryman was doing. When Sledge realized that Merryman was
at the location in violation of the protective order, Sledge contacted HPD.
HPD Officer Wartens responded, and Sledge showed the interviewing agents
Wartens’ report, identified as HPD report #21-0302-024. Merryman left the
scene when the police showed up, but then later came back and was talking to
the police officers. Sledge could not understand why the police did not
arrest Merryman at the scene, as Merryman was in clear violation of the
protective order. Sledge understands that HPD later went to Merryman’s house
to arrest him, but they did not take Merryman into custody because “Merryman
refused to come to the door.” Given Sledge’s perception that HPD failed to
perform their duties properly, the runaround he received when he first
reported Merryman’s threats, and the difficulties he has experienced with
the court processes, Sledge remains very frustrated by the law enforcement
response to his concerns.

Sledge knows other people who have received racist threats from Merryman.
There was a man named FNU Johnson who lived near Merryman’s house on
Chesapeake Avenue. Merryman tore up Johnson’s yard, and Merryman called
Johnson a “nigger.” Merryman also called Bowman a “nigger.” Bowman has a
truck with a hunting dog cage in the back. Bowman was driving on the
interstate after moving the driveway job from Merryman to Sledge. Merryman
was also driving on the interstate, saw Bowman’s truck, and knew it was
Bowman because of the dog cage. Merryman gave Bowman “the middle finger”
then tried to run Bowman off the highway with his (Merryman’s) dump truck.

The property behind Bowman’s house is owned by Merryman. There was a
woman living there who was in a wheelchair. Merryman boarded that house up

with the woman inside it. Bowman’s phone number is Po

A man named FNU Carter rented a commercial space on Kecoughtan from
Merryman. Sledge could not remember the cross street, but said it was “close

Casg, 4:24-cr-00004-RAJ-DEM Document 61-2 Filed 12/11/24 Page 3 of 3 PagelD# 547

FD-302a (Rev~5-

4 4R-NF-3607308
Continuation of FD-302 of (U) Interview of BE s2<<s¢ (on 01/06/2023 page 3 of 3

to the 7-11.” Carter ran a barber shop out of the building. Carter asked
Merryman to fix a water leak. Merryman called carter a “nigger” as well.
Carter is deceased. Sledge and Carter attended church together.

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