32 charged in Johnson County indictments

By TONY FYFFE
BSN Editor

PAINTSVILLE — Thirty-two people were named in indictments returned by the Johnson County Grand Jury Wednesday, July 15.
Named in the true bills are:
• Johnny Goble, 35, of Paintsville, charged with intimidating a witness in the legal process and first-degree persistent felony offender for allegedly attempting May 31 to influence or direct the potential testimony or the opinion of a witness in a legal proceeding and for having previously been convicted of two felonies.
• Steve Belcher, 52, of Paintsville, charged with second-degree terroristic threatening for allegedly threatening to commit any act likely to result in death or serious physical injury to any person at a scheduled event, place of worship, or any student group, teacher, volunteer worker or employee of a public or private elementary or secondary school, vocational school or institution of postsecondary education on Feb. 2.
• Kevin Howard, 39, charged with flagrant non-support for allegedly failing to pay $12,477.67 in court-ordered child support to Deanna N. Smith from Dec. 1, 2014, through June 30 of this year.
• Robbie O. Reed, 41, of Salyersville, charged with flagrant non-support for allegedly failing to pay $3,927 in court-ordered child support to Stacie M. Reed from Dec. 1, 2018, through June 30 of this year.
• Adam C. Vanhoose, 32, of Staffordsville, charged with flagrant non-support for allegedly failing to pay $3,400 in court-ordered child support to Amelia Joan Vanhoose from March 27, 2018, through June 30 of this year.
• George L. Whitaker, 47, of Blaine, charged with flagrant non-support for allegedly failing to pay $43,206.55 in court-ordered child support to Tenia Ratliff from May 1, 2011, through Feb. 29 of this year.
• Jason Castle, 35, of Paintsville, charged with flagrant non-support for allegedly failing to pay $18,920 in court-ordered child support to Stephanie Adams from Oct. 1, 2005, through June 30 of this year.
• Jackie J. Dorris, 35, of Fostoria, Ohio, charged with flagrant non-support for allegedly failing to pay $8,059.06 in court-ordered child support to Tina L. Collins from March 1, 1990, through Dec. 31, 2019.
• Jonathan E. Burns, 43, of Piketon, Ohio, charged with flagrant non-support for allegedly failing to pay $3,232.45 in court-ordered child support to Ronald Blair from July 1, 2001, through Dec. 31, 2019.
• Danny Young, 34, of Hager Hill; William McCarty, 33, of Hager Hill; and Christopher Kestner, 46, of East Point, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance/complicity for allegedly, acting alone or in complicity with each other, possessing methamphetamine on Oct. 30, 2019.
• Kenneth B. Cantrell, 32, of Meally, charged with first-degree fleeing or evading police (motor vehicle), fleeing or evading police (on foot), first-degree wanton endangerment, second-degree persistent felony offender, first-degree criminal mischief, resisting arrest and all-terrain vehicle for allegedly attempting to elude or flee Deputies Jason Arms and Lauren O’Bryan of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in a motor vehicle and Arms on foot; engaging in conduct that creates substantial danger, physical injury or death to another person; damaging property operated by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, resulting in more than $500 in damages; preventing Arms from arresting him; and operating an all-terrain vehicle on a road on July 5. He also was previously convicted of a felony, according to the indictment.
• Anthony Ratliff, 36, of Hager Hill, charged with second-degree strangulation, first-degree persistent felony offender, third-degree assault (peace officer) and two counts of fourth-degree assault-domestic violence for allegedly applying pressure to the throat or neck of Taylor VanHoose, causing or attempting to cause physical injury to deputies with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and causing physical injury to VanHoose and Kemey Bell on May 2 and for having previously been convicted of two or more felonies.
• Brian T. Napier, 39, of Thealka, first-degree fleeing or evading police, first-degree wanton endangerment, first-degree persistent felony offender, failure of owner to maintain required insurance, operating a motor vehicle on a suspended or revoked license, obstructed vision or windshield and failure to wear seat belts for allegedly attempting to elude or flee Deputies Jason Arms and Jeff Castle with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, driving in a manner that created substantial danger of death or serious physical injury to deputies, and driving a vehicle without insurance, with obstructed vision or an obstructed windshield, without seat belts and while his license was suspended on June 26. He also was previously convicted of two felonies.
• Craig A. Preston, 46, of Flat Gap, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance for allegedly, acting alone or in complicity with Stacy R. Music-Penix, possessing methamphetamine on Oct. 9, 2019.
• Alexander Jaynes, 44, of Flat Gap, charged with first-degree promoting contraband and tampering with physical evidence for allegedly introducing, obtaining or possessing a controlled substance into the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center and concealing, altering, removing or destroying evidence that he believed would be used against him in an official proceeding on March 7.
• Tommy Castle, 23, of Paintsville, charged with first-degree criminal mischief and second-degree persistent felony offender for allegedly damaging property owned by James E. Brackett, with the amount of damages exceeding $1,000, on Nov. 19, 2019, and for having previously been convicted of a felony charge.
• Mark A. Blankenship, 32, of Van Lear, charged with receiving stolen property over $10,000, first-offense operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs within 10 years, possession of marijuana and possession/use of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a 2019 Nissan Altima stolen in Ohio with a value of $20,000, driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other substances, and possessing marijuana and a glass pipe on April 30.
• James Powell Lemaster, 61, of Keaton, charged with second-degree escape for allegedly escaping from the custody at his approved and registered residence while under the supervision of the 24th Circuit Community Corrections Program on June 18.
• Nicholas Ferguson, 41, of Sitka, charged with second-degree escape, theft by unlawful taking over $500 and first-degree persistent felony offender for allegedly escaping the custody of home incarceration officer with the 24th Circuit Community Corrections Program by leaving his residence without permission and taking a Sentinel ankle monitor and supporting equipment from the program on May 15 and for having previously been convicted of two felonies.
• Jeremy Burchett, 44, of Paintsville, charged with second-degree escape and first-degree persistent felony offender for allegedly escaping the custody of home incarceration officer with the 24th Circuit Community Corrections Program by leaving his residence without permission on June 25 and for having previously been convicted of two felonies.
• Lacy Howell, 21, of Sitka, charged with second-degree escape for allegedly escaping from the custody at his approved and registered residence while under the supervision of the 24th Circuit Community Corrections Program on May 12.
• Brian Blair, 40, of Hager Hill, charged with second-degree escape, theft by unlawful taking over $500 but under $10,000 and second-degree persistent felony offender for allegedly escaping the custody of home incarceration officer with the 24th Circuit Community Corrections Program by leaving his residence without permission and taking a Sentinel ankle monitor and supporting equipment from the program on July 6 and for having previously been convicted of a felony charge.
• Michael Barnett, 33, of Boons Camp, charged with first-degree fleeing or evading police (motor vehicle), first-degree fleeing or evading police (on foot), two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, first-degree persistent felony offender and resisting arrest for allegedly attempting to elude or flee Deputies Michael Scott and Jeff Castle with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in a motor vehicle and Scott and Deputy Jason Arms on foot, engaging in conduct that created a substantial danger of serious physical injury or death to Scott and Castle, resisting, preventing or attempting to prevent an arrest and failing to stop and render assistance after a vehicle collision on April and for having previously been convicted of two felonies.
• Christopher Arms, 31, of Hager Hill, charged with tampering with physical evidence and first-degree possession of a controlled substance for allegedly destroying, removing, altering or concealing physical evidence that he believed would be used against him in an official proceeding and possessing methamphetamine on April 19.
• Joseph Meade, 33, of Paintsville, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) and possession/use of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing cocaine and a syringe on Feb. 21.
• Carrie Collins, 42, of Hager Hill, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession/use of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana for allegedly possessing methamphetamine, a syringe and marijuana on April 25.
• Heather Halcomb, 45, of Paintsville, charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (greater than two grams) and trafficking within 1,000 feet of a school for allegedly possessing 16.869 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to traffic or by trafficking in the drug and trafficking in marijuana within 1,000 feet of Our Lady of the Mountain School and Big Sandy Community and Technical College on Nov. 20.
• Ervin P. Sartin, 53, and Alex R. Castle, 37, both of Paintsville, charged with fraudulent use of a credit card over $500/complicity for allegedly, acting alone or in complicity with each other, defrauding card owner Carl Click of Paintsville and Community Trust Bank for the purpose of obtaining $1,245.61 in goods with a credit card at Walmart, Speedway, Taco Bell and Walgreens of Paintsville May 28-29.
(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.)