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Tomahawk man gets two-year prison sentence in stolen ATV case
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — A Tomahawk man was sentenced March 19 in Martin Circuit Court to two years in prison for his role in a stolen ATV case dating back to 2023. Rush Fraley, 49, pleaded guilty Feb. 5 to receiving stolen property valued at $1,000 to $10,000/complicity, a Class D felony.
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Lovely man draws six-year prison sentence in fentanyl case
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — A Martin County man drew a six-year prison sentence March 19 in Martin Circuit Court after pleading guilty to a fentanyl trafficking charge. Henry Butcher, 27, of Lovely, received the sentence after pleading guilty Feb. 5, 2026, to first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (over 2 grams of
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Martin County arrest report
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT INEZ — Martin County Sheriff John Kirk’s Office reported the following arrests: Erin A. Kugel, 23, was arrested March 21 on Long Branch Road in Lovely on a bench warrant from Magoffin District Court. Deputy JC Kirk served the warrant at 6:50 p.m. Ashley R. Salmons, 34, of Tomahawk, was arrested March
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FBI issues warning about scams
The FBI Louisville Field Office is warning Kentuckians about a rise in fraud schemes in which scammers pose as law enforcement officers or government officials to extort money or steal personal information. According to the FBI, the scams often begin with an unsolicited phone call from someone using a spoofed number to make the call
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Debord man admits stealing water service, ordered to repay utility
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — A Martin County man admitted in court to stealing water service after authorities said he bypassed a shut-off and restored water at his Debord home. John Allen, 39, pleaded guilty March 5 in Martin Circuit Court to theft of services $1,000-$10,000, a Class D felony. Under the plea
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Woman jailed on storage unit burglary, theft charges
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — A woman went to jail last week after investigators say she was caught on video cutting locks off storage units in Inez and stealing more than $1,000 worth of property. Martin County Sheriff’s Deputy Jameson Wall served a warrant on Rose Ellen Johnson, 54, of Inez, at her
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Martin County arrest report
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT INEZ — Martin County Sheriff John Kirk’s Office reported the following arrests: John Andrew Slone, 40, of Williamson, West Virginia, was arrested March 17 in the Martin County Sheriff’s Office in Inez on a warrant charging him with possession of a handgun by a convicted felon; a warrant charging him with wanton
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Pike County grand jury indicts 11
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PIKEVILLE — The Pike County grand jury returned indictments against 11 individuals March 10. Charges range from drug possession and bail jumping to theft, fleeing police and assault, with two defendants facing multiple separate indictments. Kaylee Damron, 32, of Pikeville — theft by unlawful taking (felony). Michael Damron, 35, of
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Five charged after investigation into alleged drug trafficking at Eastern Kentucky prison
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT WEST LIBERTY — Five people, including two former correctional officers, were arrested March 16 on charges tied to alleged drug trafficking and misconduct inside the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex in West Liberty. According to a news release issued March 16, Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex contacted Kentucky State Police on Sept. 7, 2025,
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Mingo County arrest report
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — Law enforcement agencies continued to be busy in Mingo County the past few days. The Mingo County Magistrate Court office in Williamson released these recent arrest reports. Jonathan James Pack, 40, of Crum, was charged with driving on a revoked license (DUI), fleeing from a police officer, reckless driving,
