On Wednesday, February 15, 2023, and Friday, February 17, 2023, the Honorable Judge Jeffrey D. Cramer, Chief Judge of the Second Judicial Circuit, presided over several criminal matters in Wetzel County Circuit Court.

On Wednesday morning, February 15, 2023, Jonathon Casey Efaw, age 31, with address listed at 318 Rose Street, Apartment 1, Mannington, WV, appeared in custody before the Court for a status hearing. Mr. Efaw was represented by Attorney Dean Williams of Wheeling. The State of West Virginia was represented by Wetzel County Prosecuting Attorney Timothy Haught. Mr. Efaw was indicted by a Wetzel County Grand Jury during the May 2022 term on a three count felony indictment: one count of Grand Larceny and two counts of Conspiracy to Commit Grand Larceny. On December 7, 2022, in Wetzel County Circuit Court, and by way of a plea agreement, Mr. Efaw pled guilty to the Grand Larceny charge with the two Conspiracy charges dismissed with prejudice. Mr. Efaw was placed on post-conviction supervised bond, with the sentencing to be deferred until Mr. Efaw completed a Recovery Point rehabilitation program he was currently enrolled in. Additionally, efforts were made to provide for Mr. Efaw to serve his Wetzel County Circuit Court imposed sentence concurrently with sentencing imposed related to a separate and undisclosed matter by the Marion County, WV, Circuit Court. Sometime in January 2023, Mr. Efaw was terminated from the Recovery Point rehabilitation program, and that termination comprised a violation of his Wetzel County Circuit Court post-conviction supervised bond. Mr. Efaw informed both his Marion County Probation Officer and Marion County Defense Attorney of his termination from Recovery Point, and they were successful in getting him enrolled in another rehabilitation program in Parkersburg. However, Wetzel County Probation Officers and Mr. Efaw’s Attorney in the Wetzel County matter were informed that Mr. Efaw had been terminated from Recovery Point but were never informed that Mr. Efaw was enrolled in a rehabilitation program in Parkersburg, and to those Wetzel County parties Mr. Efaw’s whereabouts were unknown. On Friday, February 9, 2023, a motion to revoke Mr. Efawás post-conviction bond was filed and a Capias was issued for Mr. Efaw in Wetzel County Circuit Court, and he was subsequently apprehended at the Parkersburg rehabilitation facility and transported to the Northern Regional Jail. In Wetzel County Circuit Court on Friday, February 17, 2023, per an Agreed Order, Mr. Efawás post-conviction bond was reinstated with specific instructions that he is to complete the Parkersburg rehabilitation program and he is to maintain contact with the Wetzel County Circuit Court and its officers.

On Friday morning, February 17, 2023, Dale Robert McDaniels II, age 30, with address listed at 22 North Fork Road, Pine Grove, WV, appeared in custody before the Court for arraignment. Mr. McDaniels was represented by Attorney David White of the Moundsville law firm of Neiswonger & White. The State was represented by Wetzel County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Justin Craft. Mr. McDaniels was indicted by a Wetzel County Grand Jury during the January 2023 term on three felony counts of Sexual Assault in the First Degree. Defense Attorney White requested evaluations for his client regarding criminal responsibility and competency. The Court so ordered. The Court set a return to court date of Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at 10:00 AM. Mr. McDaniels was remanded.

Jessica Dawn Myers, age 29, with address listed at 114 North Sixth Avenue, Paden City, WV, appeared before the Court for arraignment. Ms. Myers was represented by Attorney Shane Mallett of Wheeling. The State was represented by Wetzel County Prosecutor Timothy Haught. Ms. Myers was indicted by a Wetzel County Grand Jury during the January 2023 term on a single felony offense of Child Neglect Resulting in Death. When asked for a plea, Ms. Myers remained silent and the Court entered a plea of not guilty on her behalf. Defense Attorney Mallett requested Discovery and the Court set a schedule for discovery activities. A return to court was set for Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at 10:00 AM. Ms. Myersá bond was continued.

Denton Franklin Pletcher, age 30, with address listed at 2986 Willey Fork Road, Burton, WV, appeared before the Court for a plea. Mr. Pletcher was represented by Attorney Jeremiah Gardner of Moundsville who was standing in for Attorney Roger Curry of the Public Defender Corporation (PDC). The State was represented by Wetzel County Prosecutor Timothy Haught. Mr. Pletcher was indicted by a Wetzel County Grand Jury during the January 2023 term on two felony counts: Entry of a Building Other than a Dwelling and Grand Larceny. Prosecutor Haught asked for a continuance and the Court so granted, setting a return to court for Monday, March 13, 2023, at 11:00 AM. Mr. Pletcherás bond was continued.

Alissa Marie West, age 25, with address listed at 1103 James Street, New Martinsville, WV, appeared in custody before the Court for a plea. Ms. West was represented by Attorney Jeremiah Gardner of Moundsville who was standing in for Attorney Roger Curry of the PDC. The State was represented by Wetzel County Assistant Prosecutor Justin Craft. Ms. West was indicted by a Wetzel County Grand Jury during the January 2023 term on six felony counts: one count of Child Neglect Causing Bodily Injury, two counts of Child Neglect Causing Serious Bodily Injury, and three counts of Gross Child Neglect Creating Risk of Death or Serious Bodily Injury. Ms. West pled guilty to one of the counts of Child Neglect Causing Serious Bodily Injury and two of the counts of Gross Child Neglect Creating Risk of Death or Serious Bodily Injury. The guilty pleas were entered and the pre-sentencing investigation was ordered. The remaining counts are to be dismissed with prejudice. Ms. West was remanded to be released later in the day on post-conviction supervised bond. She was instructed by the Court to report within three days to the West Virginia State Police to register in the Child Abuse Register and to report to the Probation Department on Tuesday, February 21, 2023.

Johnny Paul Stevens, age 50, with address listed at 235 Crabapple Run Road, Mannington, WV, appeared in custody before the Court for a status hearing. Mr. Stevens was represented by Attorney David White of the Moundsville law firm of Neiswonger & White. The State was represented by Wetzel County Prosecutor Timothy Haught. Mr. Stevens was indicted by a Wetzel County Grand Jury during the September 2022 term on a sixteen count felony/misdemeanor indictment: two felony counts of Burglary, four felony counts of Entering a Building Other than a Dwelling, one felony count of Grand Larceny, five misdemeanor counts of Destruction of Property, and four misdemeanor counts of Entry of an Automobile. Not guilty pleas were entered to all charges at the September 29, 2022, arraignment. Prosecutor Haught asked for a continuance and the Court so ordered, setting Friday, March 3, 2023, at 9:30 AM for a return to court. Mr. Stevens was remanded.

Kelvin Eugene Jones, age 57, with address listed at 676 Beech Lick Run Road, Metz, WV, appeared in custody before the Court for a Disposition on Probation Revocation. Mr. Jones was represented by Attorney Kevin Neiswonger of the Moundsville law firm of Neiswonger & White. The State was represented by Wetzel County Assistant Prosecutor Justin Craft. On October 21, 2022, Judge Cramer had accepted a plea agreement from Mr. Jones on a misdemeanor charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance. The agreement provided for Mr. Jones to plead guilty to the misdemeanor Possession charge and to be sentenced to six months in the Northern Regional Jail with the sentence suspended and Mr. Jones to serve one year of supervised probation. On November 29, 2022, the Probation Office filed a petition to revoke Mr. Jonesá probation. On January 26, 2023, Mr. Jones appeared before Judge Cramer and admitted to the allegations in the petition to revoke his probation. He was taken into custody and remanded. At the Friday, February 17, 2023, Disposition hearing, Assistant Prosecutor Craft recommended six months in jail for Mr. Jones. Defense Attorney Neiswonger asked for six months of home confinement, stating Mr. Jones mother needs his assistance. The Court sentenced Mr. Jones to a sixty day sanction of incarceration with credit for twenty-three days served, and then to be released to probation. Mr. Jones was remanded to serve the remainder of the sixty day sanction.

Robert Dylan Tippins, age 29, with address listed at 125 Rural Street, Paden City, WV, appeared before the Court for a plea. Mr. Tippins was represented by Attorney Scott Brown of Wheeling. The State was represented by Werzel County Prosecutor Timothy Haught. Mr. Tippins was indicted by a Wetzel County Grand Jury during the May 2022 term on six felony counts of Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance. At the Friday, February 17, 2023, plea hearing, Mr. Tippins pled guilty to a one count Information of Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance. The Court accepted the plea and ordered a pre-sentencing investigation. The remaining counts were dismissed with prejudice. A Capias which had been issued for Mr. Tippins was withdrawn. Mr. Tippins’ bond was continued. The court instructed Mr. Tippins to see the Probation Department before leaving the building.