The defendant in a catalytic converter fraud and tax evasion case is seeking the federal court system to modify the conditions of his pretrial release and remove his home detention with location monitoring condition.

The motion on behalf of Roanoke Rapids resident Theodore Nicholas Papouloglou was filed Monday in the Eastern District of Virginia by Assistant Federal Public Defender Amy L. Austin.

As of this report the court had not made an order on the motion.

On March 20 Papouloglou made his initial appearance and arraignment before the court where he was released on bond under United States Probation pretrial supervision with conditions and agreed to appear for all hearings as directed.

His case has been deemed complex, and the next status hearing is scheduled for August 19.

“Because of the conditions of release include home detention, Mr. Papouloglou is restricted to his residence at all times except for employment, education, religious services, medical, substance abuse or mental health treatment, attorney visits, court appearances, court-ordered obligations, or other activities approved in advance by the pretrial services office or supervising officer,” the motion says.

His residence consists of 1.2 acres in Roanoke Rapids in the area he has lived his entire life, with the exception of the first three years of his life spent in New York, and a seven-year period spent in Florida many years ago. “Overall, Mr. Papouloglou has spent over 30 years of his life in and around Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina and Gaston, North Carolina.”

His residence contains a detached garage with a workshop where he spends time working on his vehicles or maintaining the equipment used to mow or maintain his 1.2 acres. 

Pursuant to the conditions of his home detention, the motion says that he has been prohibited from spending time in and working in his workshop directly next to his home. “Mr. Papouloglou is the sole owner of a restaurant in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina: Roma’s Pizza, Pasta, and Subs. Mr. Papouloglou is at work Tuesday through Sunday, from approximately 9:00 a.m. to either 9:00 p.m. or 10:00 p.m., depending on the day. He also occasionally works on Mondays to deep clean the restaurant.”

Papouloglou spoke with his pretrial services officer and was told that the home detention provision could be modified to allow him to have access to and use of his workshop during work hours, but due to the many hours dedicated to his restaurant as the sole owner, this is not a feasible option. “Additionally, as (the) spring and summer season approaches, business will continue to pick up and Mr. Papouloglou will spend even more time at the restaurant.”

The motion says he has abided by the conditions of his home detention and has received no violations while on his initial terms of pretrial release. “He only comes to Virginia to see his attorney. He does not travel elsewhere and simply wants to be able to walk across his driveway to his workshop during his very limited down time.”

The document says that he is not a flight risk, and has only been out of the country once, to Greece, in the 1990s. “He does not currently have a valid passport, as the passport he used to travel to Greece approximately 30 years ago is long expired.”

Around March 19 Papouloglou was charged in an indictment alleging one count of evasion of 2021 income tax assessment; one count of evasion of 2020 income tax assessment; one count of conspiracy to transfer, receive, conceal, and sell stolen goods; and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmission business.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.