BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — The Martin Circuit Court issued formal drug-related charges Oct. 16 against two individuals under Kentucky’s Rocket Docket program.
Robert R. Whitt, 45, of Adams, faces three charges: operating on a suspended or revoked operator’s license (Class B misdemeanor), possession of a controlled substance in the first degree (Class D felony), and menacing (Class B misdemeanor).
According to the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Whitt on Oct. 1 operated a vehicle while his license was suspended or revoked, possessed fentanyl, and placed another person in reasonable apprehension of imminent physical injury. Martin Circuit Judge J. Kevin Holbrook ordered him to appear for arraignment Nov. 6.
Police records show Whitt’s arrest occurred Oct. 1 at Horn’s BP in Inez. Deputy Steven Putman responded around 1 a.m. after dispatchers received reports of a man jumping in front of traffic and waving at passing cars near the gas station. When Putman arrived, he saw the man stumbling in the roadway. Moments later, Whitt pulled in driving a pickup truck to pick up the man.
A records check revealed Whitt’s license was suspended or revoked. While detaining him, Putman allegedly found a small plastic bag containing a brownish, crystal-like substance believed to be fentanyl.
The report states that Whitt began shouting and cursing, demanding the deputy call Sheriff John Kirk. Even after being placed in the cruiser, he continued to yell and cause a disturbance, police said.
Jeffrey W. Pinson, 32, of Inez, stands accused of possession of a controlled substance in the third degree (Class A misdemeanor) and tampering with physical evidence (Class D felony).
The Commonwealth’s Attorney states that Pinson committed the offenses Oct. 10 when police found him with a Schedule IV or V controlled substance and he allegedly attempted to conceal evidence that could be used against him in an official proceeding. Judge Holbrook ordered him to appear for arraignment Nov. 6.
According to police reports, Pinson’s arrest occurred Oct. 10 near Evans Hardware in Inez on charges of possession of a controlled substance, tampering with physical evidence, and a warrant for third-degree terroristic threatening. Sheriff Kirk reported that Pinson threw down a Suboxone strip after officers informed him he was under arrest for the warrant.
Kentucky’s Rocket Docket program expedites the judicial process for certain cases, primarily non-violent felony drug offenses, to move defendants more quickly toward treatment or resolution. It allows prosecutors to identify qualifying cases for accelerated processing, which can include waiving preliminary hearings or grand jury presentations in exchange for faster pleas. The goal is to reduce jail costs and provide earlier access to rehabilitation.