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Several Plead Guilty In Circuit Court

By Staff | Jul 17, 2013

Several defendants entered into plea agreements July 10, before the Honorable Judge David W. Hummel, in Wetzel County Circuit Court.

Alexander C. King, 27, of 746 Hickman Road, Sistersville, pleaded guilty to grand larceny and will be sentenced on Sept. 6, 10:15 a.m. for stealing merchandise from Wal-Mart. The state’s recommendation is that King spend not less than one nor more than 10 years in the West Virginia Penitentiary for Men. A charge of entry of a building other than a dwelling was dismissed, per the terms of the plea agreement. King admitted to the offense, stating that he was very high on Xanax at the time. Apparently after coming down from the high, he realized he had $1,200 and “a bunch of stuff from Wal-Mart,” recalling speakers and a printer.

King original indictment alleged that he entered Wal-Mart on or about March 2 and stole goods totaling more than $1,000.

In another matter, Ronald James Morris, 20, of HC 60 Box 157, Reader, pleaded guilty to one count of entering with breaking. Because of a lack of prior criminal history and Morris’ agreement to enter into an inpatient drug rehabilitation program at his expense, Morris’ sentence of one to 10 years in the penitentiary was suspended, and instead Morris will serve probation with additional requirements that he obtain drug rehabilitation, comply with drug court when it becomes available, and attend NA meeting at least weekly. Should Morris not fulfill these requirements, he will be required to serve the one to 10 year sentence instead.

Morris was charged by the May 2013 grand jury with two sets of felony entry of a building other than a dwelling and misdemeanor petit larceny. Both sets alleged that on or about March 28, Morris entered the Convenient Store in Paden City and stole cash, totaling less than $1,000.

Morris admitted to the offenses on July 10, stating, “I was pretty messed up.”

“He has a very serious drug problem,” Prosecutor Timothy Haught stated. “When he and the individual he was with were arrested, there was drug paraphernalia found. The drug problem is serious . . . I very rarely do a conditional plea, but I’m trying to reach a fair resolve for (Morris), and also for the state. I want to emphasize to Morris that he needs to get his problem taken care of and he needs to stop associating with people with a drug problem.”

Haught added that if Morris does not fulfill his end of the agreement, he is “fully prepared to come back and have his sentence imposed.”

Judge Hummel agreed to this arrangement, adding that Morris needed to be enrolled by Halloween.

Also on July 10, Amanda M. Bray, 30, of 2640 State Route 45, North Jackson, Ohio, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor petit larceny, a lesser included offense of count two of her indictment, grand larceny. For this offense, Bray was sentenced to one year in jail. This sentence was suspended and Bray was placed on probation for six months.

Bray’s original indictment charged her with entry of a building other than a dwelling and grand larceny. These charges alleged that Bray entered Wal-Mart March 13 with the intent to commit a larceny and stole goods with a cumulative value of more than $1,000.

The codefendant to the crime, Johnny Lee Slater, 22, of P.O. Box 149, Hundred, pleaded guilty to grand larceny, which could land him one to 10 years in the West Virginia Penitentiary for Men. However, a pre-sentencing report is to be filed, and sentencing will be argued Sept. 6, 10:30 a.m.

Slater was charged by the May 2013 grand jury with entry of a building other than a dwelling and grand larceny.

These charges alleged that on or about March 13, Slater entered Wal-Mart and stole goods with a value of more than $1,000.

Haught reported that the state would say Bray was an accessory before the fact and could’ve been found guilty of both felony grand larceny and felony entry of a building other than a dwelling. Haught said the defense would have most likely argued that the items she took from the store did not total $1,000. “They were basically $298. She stole Easter candy and pop,” Haught said. “Mr. Slater, however, took a generator and a television set that totaled over $1,000, thus making it grand larceny. They went into the store with the intent to commit those crimes.”

Dalton Andrew Crohn, 19, of 42 Crystal Lane, Bridgeport, W.Va. pleaded guilty to entry of a building other than a dwelling and was placed on two years of supervised probation. Per the terms of the agreement, count two, petit larceny, was dismissed.

Prosecuting Attorney Haught said the state would have introduced evidence that showed Crohn had entered into an unattached garage owned by the victims. Crohn then allegedly stole a case of Bud Light and wine coolers, valuing less than $25 dollars. Crohn requested that his probation be transferred to Marion County, where he resides. The state did not oppose the request.

Crohn was originally charged with felony entry of a building other than a dwelling and petit larceny by the May 2013 grand jury.

Charges against Crohn’s codefendant, John Wildbur Bowman Jr., 24, of HC 67, Box 45, Hundred, were dismissed without prejudice to refiling.

Haught reported that Bowman currently has charges pending in other counties, eight in Monongalia County and two in Marion County. Haught foresees the matter being prosecuted in one of these counties. “I think we could get a satisfactory resolution by doing that, so I’m going to move to dismiss without prejudice.”

Bowman was charged by the May 2013 grand jury with felony entry of a building other than a dwelling, misdemeanor petit larceny, and felony grand larceny.

The first two counts of the indictment allege that on or about Feb. 6, Bowman unlawfully entered a garage and stole goods totaling less than $1,000. The third count states that on Jan. 28, Bowman stole a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban motor vehicle that valued more than $1,000.

Also, Joy Jo Headley, 35, of HC 60, Box 44, New Martinsville, pleaded guilty July 10 to failure to appear on felony bail. Headley was sentenced to one to five years in the penitentiary. This sentence is to run concurrently with her other sentence for conspiracy that she is currently serving in the West Virginia Penitentiary for Women.

On or about March 8, Headley failed to appear at the Northern Regional Jail and Correctional Facility as ordered by Judge Hummel after being convicted of conspiracy to deliver heroin.

Eric Dean Adams, 46, of HC 60 Box 56, Pine Grove, pleaded guilty to nighttime burglary for entering a residence and stealing $20 and prescription pills. A pre-sentencing report is to be filed. Adams will return Sept. 6 for sentencing. The state’s recommendation is that Adams serve one to 10 years in the West Virginia Penitentiary for Men.

Originally, Adams was handed down a three-count indictment by the May 2013 grand jury. This indictment charged him with felony nighttime burglary, misdemeanor petit larceny, and misdemeanor destruction of property.

Counts one and two, respectively, alleged that on or about Jan. 23, Adams unlawfully entered the house of the victims in the case, where he stole goods having a value less than $1,000. The third count alleged Adams broke the lock on the door of the victims’ residence.

MIchael Paul Clegg, 35, of 440 Durham Street, Sistersville, will return to court Sept. 15. Clegg is currently charged with third offense DUI. However, the resolution of Clegg’s case in circuit court is contingent on the results of a Department of Motor Vehicles hearing.

The state is also unable to take the case to trial now because of the fact that one of the testifying witnesses in the case has to attend a training session when a trial was scheduled.

Clegg’s charge alleges that on or about April 25 Clegg drove a Toyota Corolla vehicle on West Robinson Street and South Third Avenue in Paden City while under the influence of alcohol. Clegg was previously convicted for the offense of DUI in Wetzel County Magistrate Court on or about Oct. 10, 2006, and in Tyler County Magistrate Court on or about Oct. 21, 2009.

In another matter, the case involving Jordan Tyler Kerns, 20, of 402 Abbie Drive, New Martinsville, will likely be resolved by a plea agreement Sept. 6, 9 a.m. Kerns is charged with photographing a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and distribution of material depicting a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Also, Jesse Ryan Tedrow and Denton Franklin Pletcher will both return to court Aug. 2, 10 a.m., pertaining to possible probation violations.

Tedrow, 20, of P.O. Box 325, Hundred, pleaded guilty Jan. 18 to the lesser included offense, petit larceny, of his charge of grand larceny. Tedrow was sentenced to one year in jail; however, upon further recommendation, the execution of this sentence was suspended and Tedrow was to serve one year of probation.

Pletcher, 20, of HC 62, Box 47, Burton, pleaded guilty July 16, 2012, to one count of grand larceny. After a pre-sentencing report was filed, on Aug. 29, 2012, a sentence of one to 10 years in the West Virginia Penitentiary for Men was suspended and Pletcher was instead given the chance of probation for two years.