One defendant was released on probation during hearings held Friday in Wetzel County Circuit Court. Judge Mark A. Karl presided as many individuals appeared to continue matters in their cases. Various hearings are set for November and December.

Jason Ray Hendershot, 23, of 108 Miller Street, Apt. 5, Paden City, appeared in circuit court on Friday to inform the court that he has successfully completed the program at the Anthony Center For Youthful Offenders. Judge Karl stated he was pleased with the defendant for completing the program and pursuant to the plea agreement, Hendershot was placed on two years supervised probation.

On May 5, 2010, Hendershot pleaded guilty to his one-count felony offense of delivery of a controlled substance (oxycontin). Judge David W. Hummel Jr. sentenced Hendershot to one to 15 years in the West Virginia State Penitentiary for Men with credit for one day served, however Hummel suspended incarceration for alternative sentencing.

Treated as a youthful offender, Hendershot was admitted to the Anthony Center to complete its program which takes six months to two years to complete. Following completion of the program, Hendershot would be placed on supervised probation for two years.

Hendershot’s felony offense occurred on or about Oct. 29, 2009, on the Wetzel County side of Paden City. Hendershot intentionally, knowingly, unlawfully, and feloniously delivered oxycontin, a Schedule II controlled, narcotic substance to two individuals in a vehicle. The Paden City Police Department witnessed the encounter and made a traffic stop, recovering the drug and an identification of Hendershot as the deliverer of five round, yellow tablets marked “OC 40 mg.” Hendershot was taken into custody wherein he voluntarily confessed.

Meanwhile, Bradford Pernell Wiseman, 47, of 548 Apple Street, New Martinsville, was present for a Rule 35 sentence modification motion alongside Attorney Jeremiah Gardner, who stated Wiseman had been incarcerated for 11 months with no write-ups. He further noted the defendant is having a difficult time functioning in prison due to his being in a wheelchair. The state opposed the motion due to the nature of his alleged offenses and because Wiseman is scheduled to meet with the parole board in December. Judge Karl moved to take the matter under advisement and remanded Wiseman to the Northern Regional Jail. He will return to court Dec. 16 at 10 a.m.

During his hearing on Friday Gardner further noted that should Wiseman be allowed release, he could reside with his mother.

Gardner also said his client was eager to gain employment and begin paying restitution, that being a total of $5,680.40.

Wetzel County Prosecuting Attorney Timothy Haught opposed the defense’s motion, citing the seriousness of Wiseman’s charges. Haught also said he believed Wiseman should go before the parole board rather than be released on probation. That hearing is set for Dec. 8.

On March 21 Wiseman pleaded guilty to his two counts of threats of terrorist acts during his hearing before Judge Karl in Wetzel County Circuit Court. For allegedly calling in false bomb threats to two businesses in Wetzel County, Wiseman was sentenced to one to three years in the West Virginia Penitentiary for Men for each count to run concurrently, with credit for 102 days served.

The indictments detail that Wiseman allegedly conveyed false information concerning terrorist attempts on two occasions by placing cell phone calls-one to the New Martinsville Walmart store on April 10 and another to the New Martinsville Speedway Office on June 23-advising the establishments that there was a bomb on the premises, knowing the said information was false.

Thomas Clark Johnson, 29, of 312 Mount View Gardens, Waynesburg, Pa., appeared in Wetzel County Circuit Court for a petition to revoke probation hearing. Attorney Gardner asked for more time to discuss the petition with the defendant and a return date was set for Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. Johnson was remanded to the NRJ.

On March 18 Johnson pleaded guilty by way of information to one count of conspiracy to commit uttering. For this he was sentenced to the West Virginia Penitentiary for Men for a period of one to five years with credit for 86 days served. Johnson’s other charges were dismissed.

On June 24 he was released on a Rule 35 sentence modification motion. He was placed on two years supervised probation.

Johnson was indicted on three counts of the felony offense of forgery said to have occurred between July 22-23, 2010, in Wetzel County wherein he allegedly unlawfully, feloniously, and with the intent to defraud, forged the signature of another person to checks issued by Johnson and made payable to “Thomas Johnson” in the amounts of $240, $300, and $200 respectively to each count. These checks were cashed at a store in Hundred.