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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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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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Four arrested after fight in school parking lot prompts soft lockdown
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN WARFIELD — Four men were arrested and one woman was cited Monday after a fight between adults erupted in the parking lot of Warfield Elementary School. The incident prompted the school to initiate a soft lockdown. Officers Nathan Todd and Justin Bellamy with the Martin County Schools Police Department responded at approximately
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Man charged with attempted murder; three others arrested after shooting
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN NORTH MATEWAN, W.Va. — Deputies arrested four men late Friday night in connection with an attempted murder investigation on Rutherford Hollow near Matewan. Bruce Blankenship, 42, of Nolan Street, Williamson, faces charges of attempted murder, wanton endangerment, possession of a controlled substance, drug conspiracy, child neglect creating a risk of
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Correctional officer, brother-in-law arrested after fight at regional jail
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — A correctional officer at the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center and his brother-in-law were arrested after a fight on jail property last week, according to court and jail records. The altercation occurred Feb. 20 when Joseph Harris, 39, of Calf Creek Road in Inez, arrived at the Paintsville
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Pilgrim man arrested after allegedly setting motorcycle on fire
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN LOUISA — A Martin County man was taken into custody Saturday after authorities say he set a motorcycle on fire along U.S. 23 in Lawrence County. Adam A. Maynard, 41, of Pilgrim, faces charges of willfully setting, throwing or placing any device to set fire and possession of a controlled
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Man behind bars after parole check uncovers sex offender registry violations
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — A Mingo County man already on the state’s sex offender registry was taken into custody Feb. 19 after authorities said he violated both registry requirements and the terms of his supervised release. Jonathan Michael Aliff, 42, of West Fifth Avenue in Williamson, was arrested by West Virginia
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Delbarton man charged with malicious wounding in Mingo County shooting
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT DELBARTON, W.Va. — A 68-year-old Delbarton man faces felony charges following a shooting Sunday, Feb. 15, in Mingo County. According to the West Virginia State Police Williamson detachment, a trooper responded to Logan Regional Medical Center after receiving a report of a man being treated for a gunshot wound. Investigators allege that
