23 indictments returned by Lawrence Grand Jury

By Lilly Adkins
BSN Associate Editor

LOUISA — The Lawrence County Grand Jury returned 23 indictments Thursday, including one against a Pennsylvania man charged with sex offenses involving a juvenile.
Ronald L. Kuykendall, 66, of Lewisbery, Pa., is charged with first-degree sodomy with a victim under 12-years old and two additional counts of second-degree sodomy for allegedly engaging in deviate sexual intercourse with a victim less than 12 years of age, in November 2016, a victim less than 14 in November 2017 and a victim less than 14 in November 2018.
Also named in true bills were:
• Billy Lemaster, 35, of Louisa, charged with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment for allegedly creating a substantial danger of death or serious physical injury to David Roberts and Lauren Adams on July 15.
• Charles Moran, 60, of Louisa, charged with first-degree assault for allegedly intentionally causing serious physical injury to Brad Parsley by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument on April 8.
• Steven Messer, 40, of Fort Gay, W.Va., charged with five counts of first-degree wanton endangerment and operating a motorboat or vessel negligently or while intoxicated or drugged for allegedly engaging in conduct that created a substantial danger of death or serious physical injury to Katelyn Thomas, Betty Canterbury and three minor children and operating a motorboat or vessel in a negligent or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of any person while under the influence of alcohol or other substances that impair a driver’s ability to operate that motorboat or vessel on May 31.
• Danny W. Young, 33, of Hager Hill, charged with first-degree fleeing or evading police, first-degree wanton endangerment of police, four counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, operating on a suspended or revoked operator’s license, reckless driving and first-degree persistent felony offender.
According to the indictment, on or about July 26, Young allegedly attempted to elude or flee from Lawrence County Constable Daniel Castle; operated a motor vehicle in a manner that created a substantial danger of death or serious physical injury to Castle, Daniel Cordle, Billie Cordle, Dan Jaynes and a minor child; operated a motor vehicle on the roadway while his operator’s license was suspended or revoked; recklessly operated a motor vehicle on the roadway without due regard for the safety and convenience of pedestrians and other vehicles upon the roadway; and for having previously been convicted of a felony.
• Joshua Ray, 39, and Brian Roop 34, both of Louisa, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance/complicity and third-degree criminal trespass/complicity for allegedly, acting alone or in complicity with each other, possessing methamphetamine and entering and remaining on property owned by another person on April 10.
• Carlos Hayes, 51, of Louisa, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and an altered pipe on March 11.
• Kenneth A. Stepp, 36, of Louisa, charged with first-degree fleeing or evading police in a motor vehicle, first-degree persistent felony offender, operating a motor vehicle on a suspended or revoked license, and reckless driving for allegedly disregarding an order from Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputy Mason Keefer to stop, operating a motor vehicle while his license was suspended or revoked, operating a motor vehicle on a roadway in a reckless manner on Aug. 11 and for having previously been convicted of a felony.
• Franklin Castle, 33, of Louisa, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and a syringe on May 29.
• Melvin Harmon, 29, of Webbville, charged with tampering with physical evidence, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, public intoxication, excluding alcohol, and failure to wear seat belts for allegedly destroying, removing, altering or concealing physical evidence that he believed would be used against him in an official proceeding, possessing methamphetamine, being manifestly under the influence of controlled substances or other drugs, and being a passenger in a motor vehicle operated upon a Kentucky roadway without proper safety belts in place on Aug. 6, 2019.
• Gary Lynn Cordle, 59, of Blaine, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine; first-degree possession of a controlled substance, heroin; tampering with physical evidence; and possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing methamphetamine, heroin and an altered pipe; and destroying physical evidence that he believed would be used against him in an official proceeding on July 2.
Cordle is also named in another indictment with Julie E. Maze, 40, of Martha, charging them with first-degree possession of a controlled substance/complicity, tampering with physical evidence/complicity and possession of drug paraphernalia-buy/possess/complicity for allegedly,
acting alone or in complicity with each other, possessing methamphetamine and a syringe, and destroying evidence they believed would be used against them in an official proceeding on April 4.
• Rick Graham, 40, of Blaine, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and a syringe on Feb. 11.
• Christopher McDowell, 50, of Blaine, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine; drug paraphernalia; no/expired registration plates; operating on a suspended or revoked operator’s license; and failure to maintain required insurance for allegedly possessing hydrocodone and several used syringes, having an expired registration plate, and operating a motor vehicle on the roadway while his license was suspended or revoked and without insurance on April 2.
• Stanley McCarty, 37, of Fort Gay, W.Va., charged with possession of a handgun by a convicted felon for allegedly possessing a .38-caliber handgun and a .22 caliber handgun on Aug. 17, 2019, after having been previously convicted of a felony.
McCarty and Sara Moore, 36, also of Fort Gay, are charged in a second indictment with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, more than two grams/fire arm enhancement/complicity for allegedly, acting alone or in complicity with each other, possessing more than two grams of methamphetamine, three sets of digital scales, baggies containing residue and a transaction ledger with the intent to traffic or by trafficking in the drug while possessing a Smith & Wesson Brand .38-caliber pistol and a Heritage Brand .22-caliber pistol on the same date.
• Gary Fyffe, 55, of Blaine, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and an altered pipe on March 2.
• Lloyd Brown, 50, of Louisa, charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, less than two grams of methamphetamine, for allegedly possessing .164 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to traffic on Sept. 24, 2019.
• Tammy Evans, 48, of Louisa, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and no operator’s moped license for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and operating a motorized vehicle upon a Kentucky roadway without an operator’s license on June 16.
• Bethla Stump, 38, of Louisa, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and multiple syringes on June 12.
(Editor’s note: An indictment is not an indication of guilt but a determination by a grand jury that criminal charges warrant further judicial review.)