BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — A Martin County grand jury indicted six people July 16 in cases involving alleged stolen merchandise, methamphetamine trafficking, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon and fabricated UTV theft.
Ruby M. Chaffins, 51, of Inez, was indicted on charges of complicity to receiving stolen property valued at less than $10,000, third-degree criminal trespassing, theft of a motor vehicle registration plate and possession of marijuana.
The indictment alleges that Chaffins, acting alone or in complicity with Jason Fields and Lonnie R. Jude, possessed merchandise stolen from the Dollar General in Debord on Dec. 10, 2025. The items were valued at approximately $2,100.
The grand jury also alleges that Chaffins entered or remained on the store’s property, took a registration plate belonging to another person or vehicle and possessed marijuana.
Her bail was set at $5,000.
Kassandra Hamilton, 33, of Tomahawk, was indicted on a charge of complicity to first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance involving more than 2 grams of methamphetamine.
The indictment alleges that Hamilton, acting alone or in complicity with Donald Cornette, possessed approximately 2.443 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to traffic or trafficked the drug May 8, 2025.
Her bail was set at $10,000.
Jason Fields, 41, of Inez, was indicted on charges of complicity to receiving stolen property valued at less than $10,000, third-degree criminal trespassing, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and operating a motor vehicle on a suspended or revoked license.
The indictment alleges that Fields, acting alone or in complicity with Chaffins and Jude, possessed approximately $2,100 worth of merchandise stolen from the Dollar General in Debord on Dec. 10, 2025. It also alleges that he entered or remained on the store’s property.
The grand jury further alleges that Fields possessed an Armscor M200 .38-caliber revolver after having previously been convicted of three felonies.
Fields is also accused of possessing N-desethylisotonitazene, also known as norisotonitazene, a Schedule I controlled substance, and operating a vehicle while his license was suspended or revoked.
His bail was set at $10,000.
Lonnie R. Jude, 49, of Pilgrim, was indicted on charges of complicity to receiving stolen property valued at less than $10,000 and third-degree criminal trespassing.
The indictment alleges that Jude, acting alone or in complicity with Fields and Chaffins, possessed approximately $2,100 worth of merchandise stolen from the Dollar General in Debord on Dec. 10, 2025. It also alleges that he entered or remained on the store’s property.
His bail was set at $5,000.
Donald Cornette, 56, of Tomahawk, was indicted on a charge of complicity to first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance involving more than 2 grams of methamphetamine.
The indictment alleges that Cornette, acting alone or in complicity with Hamilton, possessed approximately 2.443 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to traffic or trafficked the drug May 8, 2025.
His bail was set at $10,000.
Larry Delong, 63, of Tomahawk, was indicted on charges of attempted insurance fraud involving more than $10,000 and falsely reporting an incident to law enforcement.
The indictment alleges that Delong falsely reported the theft of a 2021 Kawasaki KRT800 UTV on May 10, knowing the theft had not occurred.
His bail was set at $5,000.
An indictment is an accusation and does not establish guilt. All individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.