BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — A Martin County grand jury returned indictments March 5 against six individuals, including an Inez man accused of possessing a firearm despite prior felony convictions. Other charges involve drug possession, telecommunication infrastructure vandalism, assault of a police officer and bail jumping.

Eric Crum, 42, of Inez, is facing multiple charges. Those include possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a controlled substance in the first degree (methamphetamine), possession of a controlled substance in the second degree (suboxone) and possession/use of drug paraphernalia.

According to the indictment, police caught Crum with a Winchester 12-gauge shotgun Nov. 11, 2025, after his previous conviction of two felonies. It also states that Crum had methamphetamine on his person along with six dosage units of a Schedule III Controlled Substance, buprenorphine (suboxone) and a syringe. His bail is $5,000.

If convicted on the firearm charge, a Class D felony, Crum faces a penalty of one to 10 years and a fine of not more than $10,000. The first-degree possession charge (meth), a Class D felony, carries a penalty of one to three years and a fine of not more than $10,000. The second-degree possession charge (suboxone) and the drug paraphernalia charge are both Class A misdemeanors with penalties of not more than 12 months and fines of not more than $500.

Kassandra Hamilton, 33, of Louisa, stands accused of criminal mischief in the first degree (tampering with key infrastructure assets) and trespass upon key infrastructure.

According to the indictment, Hamilton destroyed, damaged and defaced property owned and operated by Optimum on Emily Creek Road in Pilgrim Sept. 23, 2025. The financial damage is approximately $9,656.47. She also allegedly entered and stayed on the property where AT&T maintained key infrastructure assets.

According to arrest records, deputies came upon a mud-stuck truck, cut telephone lines and a pile of stripped wire in a field off North Wolf Creek Road in Pilgrim the evening of Hamilton’s arrest. When they arrived, they found Hamilton struggling to rock a truck free from the muck. What caught their eye, though, was the pole towering overhead. The slashed communication lines and their remnants lay scattered in the grass.

Deputies said they spotted heaps of insulation and roughly 45 feet of copper cable. In the back of the truck, they found a ladder and a hacksaw that they believe Hamilton used to cut the lines. Authorities said Hamilton was carrying a razor blade knife in her back right pocket.

Her bail is $5,000.

If convicted of the criminal mischief charge, a Class D felony, Hamilton faces a possible penalty of one to five years and or a fine of not more than $10,000. If convicted of the trespass charge, a Class B misdemeanor, she faces a penalty of not more than 90 days and a fine of not more than $250.

Krystal Leann Cooper, 35, of Warfield, is facing charges of assault in the third degree (police/probation officer), escape in the third degree and disorderly conduct in the second degree.

The grand jury accuses Cooper of committing the offenses June 11, 2025. According to the indictment, she assaulted or attempted to assault a Martin County Sheriff’s deputy, escaped from police officers, and engaged in violent or threatening behavior in a public place with the intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm.

According to a June 11, 2025, arrest report from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, the charges stem from an incident at Warfield Park in which a routine traffic stop escalated into a chaotic confrontation. The report states a deputy had stopped a vehicle driven by another individual when a second vehicle arrived. Deputies said the driver of that vehicle had switched seats with passenger Krystal Cooper before returning to the scene.

When the deputy attempted to detain the male driver, he ran. Deputies were able to subdue and handcuff him, according to the report. During the encounter, however, Cooper allegedly shouted profanities, waved her arms and repeatedly reached into one of the men’s pockets. When the deputy pulled her hand away to check for a possible weapon, Cooper allegedly struck him in the head with an open hand.

Officers placed Cooper in handcuffs and secured her in a police cruiser. Authorities said she slipped out of the handcuffs, rolled down the cruiser window, opened the door and stepped out before deputies regained control.

Cooper’s bail is $5,000.

If convicted, she could face one to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 on the assault charge. The escape charge is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $500. Disorderly conduct in the second degree is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $250.

Brian Howell, 46, of Inez, stands accused of possession of a controlled substance in the first degree (methamphetamine), second offense.

The indictment states that Howell was caught with methamphetamine Oct. 23, 2025, after being previously convicted. His bail is $5,000.

If convicted of the Class D felony, Howell faces a possible penalty of one to five years and a fine of not more than $10,000.

Marlo Vance, 30, of Dingess, West Virginia, stands accused of bail jumping in the first degree.

The indictment states that Vance failed to appear Feb. 5 for a pretrial conference after being released from custody upon the condition that he would appear. His bail is $5,000.

If convicted of the Class D felony, Vance faces a penalty of one to five years and a fine of not more than $10,000.

Joseph C. Jude, 44, of Lovely, is facing two misdemeanor charges: Fleeing or evading in the third degree on foot and resisting arrest.

The grand jury charges that Jude disregarded signals and commands to stop given by Martin County Sheriff’s Deputy JC Kirk in an attempt to flee from the officer May 3, 2025. The indictment also states that Jude attempted to prevent the deputy from effecting an arrest by using or threatening to use physical force.

If convicted, he faces a possible penalty of not more than 12 months and a fine of not more than $500 on each charge.

An indictment is an accusation. All individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.