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Fatal driveway shooting leads to murder arrest
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN THEALKA — A physical altercation erupted into gunfire Saturday on Main Camp Branch in Thealka, leaving a River man dead in a driveway and a West Van Lear man jailed on a murder charge, Kentucky State Police said. Kentucky State Police Post 9 responded to a residence on Main Camp…
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Johnson County grand jury indicts nine
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — The Johnson County grand jury returned 11 indictments against nine people July 17. Charges ranged from burglary and witness tampering to bail jumping and assault on police officers. Brittany Elaine Ramey, 41, of Paintsville, was indicted on a charge of third-degree burglary-complicity. The grand jury alleges that May…
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Johnson grand jury indicts 17: Charges range from manslaughter to drugs
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — A Johnson County grand jury returned 17 indictments June 17 on charges ranging from manslaughter and assault to drug trafficking, witness tampering, theft, forgery and drug possession. Timothy Caleb Townsend, 27, of Stanton, was indicted on a charge of manslaughter in the second degree. The indictment states that…
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Johnson County grand jury returns 12 indictments: Jail contraband, pay lake violations among charges
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — A West Virginia man accused of smuggling methamphetamine into the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center and a Johnson County pay lake operator facing numerous wildlife and licensing violations were among those indicted by the Johnson County grand jury during its May 15 session. Cecil Diamond, 45, of Williamson,…
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Johnson County grand jury indicts 11
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — The Johnson County grand jury returned indictments against 11 individuals April 17 on charges ranging from assault and drug trafficking to theft and weapons offenses. James Blevins, 33, of Paintsville, was indicted on one felony count of theft by unlawful taking over $1,000 (shoplifting). According to the indictment,…
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Big Sandy Area CAP reports $1.6 million in winter heating aid
INEZ — Big Sandy Area Community Action Program helped more than 4,300 households avoid losing heat this winter, distributing more than $1.6 million in emergency energy assistance across its five-county service region through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program’s Winter Crisis component. According to an impact statement released by the agency, 4,312 households received help…
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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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Regional jail authority names new leadership, reports overtime strain, stronger revenue
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — The Big Sandy Regional Jail Authority elected new leadership Friday, while administrators reported persistent staffing shortages, heavy overtime and one of the facility’s strongest months for housing revenue. Board member Billy Patrick of Martin County was named chairman, with fellow Martin County representative Bradford Preece selected as co-chairman.…
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Johnson County grand jury returns multiple indictments
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — The Johnson County grand jury convened for the first time in the new year Jan. 16 and returned 18 indictments, including two cases of sexual abuse of a minor, an assault on a healthcare worker and numerous drug-related cases. Aaron Jones, 41, has been indicted on felony charges…
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Big Sandy Regional Detention Center looks to Floyd County for female officers, cites no ‘hirable’ applicants in four counties
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — Big Sandy Regional Detention Center will temporarily expand its search for female correctional officers to Floyd County after administrators said the jail has not received “hirable” applicants from Johnson, Lawrence, Magoffin or Martin counties. The jail authority voted 4–3 at its Dec. 18 meeting to approve emergency hiring…
