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Vehicle dangling over hillside leads to DUI arrest in Lovely
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN LOVELY — A Jeep Cherokee was left partially hanging over a hillside along Long Branch Road in Lovely on Feb. 28, leading Kentucky State Police to arrest the man authorities say had been driving it. John M. Stevens, 45, of Lovely, faces charges of operating a motor vehicle under the…
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Child neglect charges: Kids left in car while adults played poker machines
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — Two Kermit residents face child neglect charges after deputies said they left two young children unattended in a vehicle while they played poker machines inside a Williamson establishment. David W. Compton and Lori A. Messer, both of Kermit, were arrested by Mingo County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. N. Mines and…
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Mingo County Magistrate Court releases multiple arrest reports
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — Mingo County Magistrate Court recently released several arrest reports. Ashley Hauser, 39, of Ransom, Kentucky, was charged with child neglect stemming from an incident in September 2025. The West Virginia State Police arrested her. In a separate case, Hauser, now reportedly living at Victoria Courts Apartments in Williamson, was…
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Mingo man charged with sexual abuse of minor
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT DELBARTON, W.Va. — A Delbarton man has been arrested and jailed for what police said was sexual abuse of a minor. Justin Aaron Stepp, 37, was arrested March 2 in the Elk Creek area of Delbarton by the West Virginia State Police Williamson Detachment on a charge of sexual assault by a…
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Johnson County clinic owner convicted in illegal prescription scheme
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT FRANKFORT — A federal jury in Frankfort convicted Johnson County clinic owner Jeremy Bryson, 47, of Harrodsburg, on March 4 of unlawfully distributing controlled substances following an eight-day trial. After approximately two hours of deliberation, the jury found Bryson guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, six counts of…
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Tomahawk man sentenced to nearly nine years in federal fentanyl case
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — A Tomahawk, Kentucky, man was sentenced March 2 to nearly nine years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl. Kody D. Harless, 28, received a sentence of eight years and 10 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession with intent…
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Library leases Collier Center gym to Martin County Extension Office
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Martin County Public Library is moving forward on two fronts: finalizing a lease of the Collier Center gymnasium to the Martin County Extension District and seeking additional applicants to fill two vacant seats on its board of trustees. The announcements came Tuesday morning during a special meeting…
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Stabbing reported at USP Big Sandy
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN DEBORD — Emergency medical personnel responded Sunday morning to the United States Penitentiary Big Sandy following a report of a stabbing. A caller to Martin County 911 at approximately 9:04 a.m. reported that a male of unknown age had sustained multiple stab wounds. Patriot EMS responded to the facility on…
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Wrong-way driver crashes twice before arrest in Inez
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — A Lowmansville man was arrested Feb. 27 after almost hitting a Martin County Sheriff’s deputy head-on on the wrong side of the four-lane and crashing his car twice. Eric Mollett, 50, faces charges of fleeing or evading police, first degree (motor vehicle), wanton endangerment, first degree (police officer),…
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BOE awards $24 million contract for new school construction
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Martin County Board of Education on Monday awarded a $24,069,161 construction contract for the new Martin County Elementary School during a special meeting in Inez. Rising Sun Developing, based in Lexington, submitted the low bid and got the BOE’s nod for the project. Board member Lorna Cassady…
