image by HENRY COUNTY ENTERPRISE
Martinsville, VA – December 6, 2024
Rico Johnson, the owner of Kornna Kitchen Restaurant in uptown Martinsville, has been arrested once again, this time facing multiple felony charges related to bad checks.
On November 27, Johnson was charged with nine felony counts of obtaining money by false pretense and nine felony counts of larceny by bad check.
Each charge is linked to amounts equal to or greater than $1,000 and allegedly occurred over several months, with incidents occurring on June 20, 24, and 25, September 24, October 2, twice on October 4, October 9, and October 18.
This arrest follows a previous one just days earlier, on November 23, when Johnson was taken into custody on two felony counts of threats of death or bodily injury.
Johnson appeared in Martinsville General District Court on Monday for his arraignment on those charges, stating that he planned to retain his own attorney.
He also requested an amendment to his bail conditions to allow him to cross the state line into North Carolina, where he resides.
On Thursday, Johnson faced another arraignment in the same court, this time for the additional 18 felony charges related to bad checks.
Once again, he told the court he would be representing himself and suggested that the charges may have stemmed from a bankruptcy filing.
However, Judge Louis Campbell declined to hear Johnson's explanation at the arraignment, advising him that his attorney would have an opportunity to present such a defense at a later time.
Johnson's financial troubles appear to be linked to his ongoing bankruptcy case.
Records from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Greensboro, North Carolina, show that Johnson filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy on February 1, 2023.
He was scheduled to meet with creditors in a Chapter 13 hearing on September 3, but the meeting was postponed twice—first to September 23, and then to October 28.
The outcome of that meeting has not been provided.
The uptown Martinsville area, where Kornna Kitchen is located, has recently seen a rise in violent incidents.
In recent months, two separate incidents have left individuals beaten unconscious, while gunshots have been fired in the area.
A third incident involved a fight that led to a broken plate glass window, injuring a Martinsville police officer.
As Johnson faces these legal challenges, the future of his restaurant remains uncertain.
Local residents and patrons are watching closely as the legal process unfolds.
What’s Next for the Troubled Restaurant Owner?
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