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Martin County grand jury indicts six: Firearm, drugs, cable vandalism, assault
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…
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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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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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Federal inmate charged in killing at USP Big Sandy
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN A federal inmate serving time at the United States Penitentiary Big Sandy is facing a murder charge in the October 2024 killing of another prisoner. A grand jury in Ashland returned an indictment Feb. 26 charging Daviian Dwane Roberts, 35, of Midland, Texas, with the Oct. 15, 2024, killing of…
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Martin County arrest report
INEZ — Martin County Sheriff John Kirk’s Office reported the following arrests and citations. Eric P. Mollett, 50, was arrested Feb. 27 on Middle Fork Road in Inez on charges of fleeing or evading police, first degree (motor vehicle), wanton endangerment, first degree (police officer), operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, fourth…
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Pike County grand jury indicts 12
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PIKEVILLE — The Pike County grand jury returned 12 true bills Feb. 25. Charges ranged from rape and sodomy to illegal drugs and burglary. Nicky Bartley, 44, of Pikeville, was indicted on charges of tampering with evidence third degree, possession of a controlled substance, DUI first, possession of marijuana, all-terrain…
