BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — A Martin County grand jury returned indictments May 7 in cases ranging from alleged child abuse and first-degree assault to a series of bail-jumping charges involving multiple defendants.

Tiffany Taylor, 46, of Huntington, West Virginia, is facing one count of criminal abuse in the second degree – child under 12 years old and two counts of falsely reporting an incident to law enforcement.

The grand jury charges that from July 1, 2024 through April 13, 2026 Taylor wantonly abused a child under 12 years of age, thereby causing torture, cruel confinement and/or cruel punishment.

According to the indictment, Taylor also falsely reported two offenses or incidents to law enforcement Oct. 15, 2025. Martin Circuit Judge John Kevin Holbrook set Taylor’s bail at $10,000.

Millard Newsome, 45, of Debord, is facing a first-degree assault charge, a Class B felony with a possible penalty of 10 to 20 years and a fine of up to $10,000.

The indictment accuses Newsome of intentionally causing serious injury to Calvin Pauley by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument April 11. Newsome’s bail is $50,000.

The remaining indictments involve allegations that defendants failed to appear for Martin Circuit Court proceedings after their release from custody on the condition that they appear.

John Pack, 40, of Kermit, West Virginia, faces a charge of bail jumping in the first degree. According to the indictment, Pack failed to appear April 16 for sentencing in Martin Circuit Court case 25-CR-00047. His bail is $5,000.

Jonathan Pack, 40, of Crum, West Virginia, stands accused of bail jumping in the first degree. The grand jury alleges that Pack failed to appear April 16 for a sentencing hearing in Martin Circuit Court case 23-CR-00046. His bail is $5,000.

Brian Howell, 46, of Inez, faces charges of bail jumping in the first degree and persistent felony offender in the first degree. The indictment states that Howell failed to appear April 16 for a pretrial conference in Martin Circuit Court. The grand jury also alleges Howell is a persistent felony offender because he was convicted, sentenced and released on a previous felony offense within five years of the instant offense. His bail is $5,000.

Joshua Moore, 28, of Inez, is facing a charge of bail jumping in the first degree. The grand jury charges that Moore failed to appear April 2 for a pretrial conference in Martin Circuit Court case 26-CR-00010. His bail is $5,000.

Moore stands accused in a second indictment of bail jumping in the first degree. In that case, the grand jury alleges he failed to appear April 2 for a pretrial conference in Martin Circuit Court case 25-CR-00069. His bail in that case is also $5,000.

Rita Lynn Maynard, 54, of Lovely, stands accused of of bail jumping in the first degree. The grand jury charges that Maynard failed to appear April 2 for a sentencing hearing in Martin Circuit Court case 25-CR-00059. Her bail is $5,000.

Editor’s note: An indictment is an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.