Lawrence County Grand Jury Indicts 23 in October Session

By Roberta Cantrell
BSN Editor

The Lawrence County Grand Jury met in their October session bringing back a total of 23 true bills.

•Charles Morris, 18, of Louisa, was charged with wanton endangerment 1st degree (discharge of a firearm), assault 4rth degree, and carrying a concealed deadly weapon when on May 15, he is accused of engaging in conduct that could’ve caused danger or death to a juvenile by discharging a firearm, committed the offense of assault of a juvenile and was illegally in possession of a .9mm Glock handgun.

•Robert Hammonds, 59, of Louisa, was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance 1st degree (complicity) and possession of drug paraphernalia possession/use, when on July 22, he acted alone or in complicity with Angela Ratliff in committing the offense of being in possession of under 2 grams of methamphetamine, scales and individual baggies.

•Angela Ratliff, 41, of Louisa, was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance 1st degree (complicity) and possession of drug paraphernalia possession/use and persistent felony offender when on July 22 she acted alone or in complicity with Robert Hammonds in committing the offense of being in possession of under 2 grams of methamphetamine, scales and individual baggies.

•Crystal Williams, 46, of Grayson, was charged with possession of a controlled substance 1st degree, possession/use of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and license plate not legible for an incident occurring on April 5, when she was found to be unlawfully in possession of fentanyl along with a smoking pipe and marijuana.

•Julia Taylor, 45, of Louisa, was charged with possession of a controlled substance 1st degree, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia when on March 13, she was unlawfully in possession of methamphetamine, marijuana and an altered smoking pipe.

•Randy York, 62, of Louisa, was charged with possession of a controlled substance 1st degree, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia use/possession when on July 11, he was unlawfully in possession of methamphetamine, marijuana and an altered straw containing chemical residue.

•Steven Block, 47, of Fort Gay, WV, was charged with possession of a controlled substance 1st degree when on Jan. 22, 2023, he was unlawfully in possession of methamphetamine.

•Heather McKinney, 36, of Columbus, OH, was charged with possession of a controlled substance 1st degree, possession of a controlled substance 1st degree, possession/use of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, endangering the welfare of a minor and giving officer a false name when on Aug. 10, she committed the offense of being in possession of fentanyl, cocaine, an uncapped syringe, marijuana, preventing a child in her care or custody of being neglected and misleading police as to her identity.

•Lisa Green, 55, of Louisa, was charged with possession of a controlled substance 1st degree, possession of a controlled substance 1st degree, possession of drug paraphernalia and improper registration plate when on Feb. 7, she unlawfully was in possession of methamphetamine, fentanyl and an altered straw with chemical residue.

•Andres Zuniga-Mendoza, 37, of Louisa, was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance 1st degree, trafficking in a controlled substance 1st degree possession of marijuana and possession/use of drug paraphernalia when on April 26, he was unlawfully in possession of methamphetamine, three sets of scales, a grinder three and a half dosage units of hydrocodone, multiple smoking pipes and marijuana with the intent to traffic.

•Michael Ramsey, 41, of Louisa, was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance 1st degree (complicity) and possession/use of drug paraphernalia (complicity) when on Aug. 8, he, acting alone or in complicity with David L. Bowen, committed the offense of being in possession of methamphetamine, multiple needles, a torch and a spoon containing chemical residue.

•David L. Bowen, 48, of Louisa, was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance 1st degree (complicity) and possession/use of drug paraphernalia (complicity) when on Aug. 8, he, acting alone or in complicity with Michael Ramsey, committed the offense of being in possession of methamphetamine, multiple needles, a torch and a spoon containing chemical residue.

•Sky W. Bentley, 34, of Portsmouth, OH, was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance, importing fentanyl or fentanyl derivatives, trafficking in a controlled substance 1st degree, wanton endangerment 1st degree (4) counts, tampering with physical evidence, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs, obstructed vision/windshield when on June 21, she committed the offense of being in possessi9on of 8.348 grams of fentanyl, $768 in cash, transporting fentanyl in the Commonwealth, 55.037 grams of cocaine, engaging in conduct that created substantial risk of danger or death to 4 juveniles and tampering with evidence that she believed would be used against her in official proceedings.

•Billy Joe Salmons, 45, of Fort Gay, WV, was charged with engaging in organized crime, importing fentanyl or fentanyl derivatives (complicity) hitchhiking disregarding traffic regulation when on July 26, he unlawfully acting as an accomplice in the commission of trafficking and importing into the Commonwealth controlled substance on a continuing basis with two following individuals Leslie Morgan Triplett and Tommy Church.

•Leslie Morgan Triplett, 28, of Louisa, was charged with engaging in organized crime, importing fentanyl or fentanyl derivatives (complicity) when on July 26, he unlawfully acting as an accomplice in the commission of trafficking and importing into the Commonwealth controlled substance on a continuing basis with two following individuals Billy Joe Salmons and Tommy Church.

•Tommy Church, 36, of Webbville, was charged with engaging in organized crime, importing fentanyl or fentanyl derivatives (complicity) when on July 26, he unlawfully acting as an accomplice in the commission of trafficking and importing into the Commonwealth controlled substance on a continuing basis with two following individuals Billy Joe Salmons and Leslie Morgan Triplett.

•Carlos Spence, 61, of Fort Gay, WV, was charged with possession of a controlled substance 1st degree, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs, possession of marijuana, possession/use of drug paraphernalia and failure to wear a seatbelt, when on May 29, he was unlawfully in possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.

•Robert Music, 57, of Staffordsville, was charged with burglary 3rd degree when on Sept. 19, he unlawfully entered and remained in Walmart of Louisa after being banned with the intent to commit a crime therein.

•Oscar Carrillo, 27, of Ashland, was charged with possession of a controlled substance 1st degree (methamphetamine), possession/use of drug paraphernalia, no operator’s license and license to be in possession for an incident that occurred on Aug. 24.

•Charles Morris, 18, of Louisa, was charged with strangulation 1st degree, assault 2nd degree (domestic violence juvenile).

•Charles Morris, 18, of Louisa, was charged with violation of a KY EPO/DVO, intimidating a participant in a legal process (complicity) for an incident that occurred on July 10.

•Dawn Morris, 43, of Louisa, was charged with intimidating a participant in a legal process (complicity) for an incident that occurred on July 10.

•William Bradley Ellis, 48, of Louisa, was charged with fraudulent use of a credit card when on or before June 3, he unlawfully used a Capital One credit card owned by Jennifer Justice (deceased) of Louisa for the purpose of obtaining money or goods without consent in the amount of $8201.90

(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.)