The Honorable Judge Jeffrey D. Cramer, Chief Judge of the Second Judicial Circuit, heard the following criminal matters in Wetzel County Circuit Court on Friday, July 7, 2023, and Wednesday, July 12, 2023.

On Friday, July 7, 2023, Cody Bennett, age 24, with address listed at 249 South Wells Street, Sistersville, WV, appeared before the Court on the Stateás Request for Order or Warrant for Arrest. Mr. Bennett was represented by Attorney Michael Kuhn of Wheeling. The State of West Virginia was represented by Wetzel County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Haught. In October 2022 in Wetzel County Magistrate Court, Mr. Bennett pled no contest to a misdemeanor charge of Knowingly or Intentionally Possessing a Controlled Substance Without a Valid Prescription. At that time and in that court, he was sentenced to six months of home confinement and ordered to pay $170.25 in fines and court costs. In Wetzel County Circuit Court on Friday, July 7, 2023, Judge Cramer ordered for Mr. Bennett home confinement with the supervision of the Probation Department, and instructed Mr. Bennett to see the Probation Department before leaving the building.

Robert Lee Brown, age 47, with address listed at 431 North Railroad Avenue, Sistersville, WV, appeared in custody before the Court for a pre-trial hearing. Mr. Brown was represented by Attorney Dean Williams of the Williams Law Office of Wheeling. The State was represented by Wetzel County Prosecutor Tim Haught. Mr. Brown was indicted by a Wetzel County Grand Jury during the January 2023 term on two counts: a felony offense of Entry of a Building Other Than a Dwelling, and a misdemeanor offense of Petit Larceny. At the June 7, 2023, arraignment, not guilty pleas were entered to both charges and a tentative trial date of July 26-27, 2023 was set. At the July 7, 2023, pre-trial hearing, it was stated that a plea agreement has been reached but needs to be reduced to writing. Judge Cramer set Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at 10:00 AM for a return to court for the entry of a plea. Mr. Brown was remanded.

On Wednesday, July 12, 2023, George Herbert Beale, III, age 47, with address listed at 4038 Hornet Highway, Hundred, WV, and more recently within the West Virginia Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation, appeared in custody before the Court for sentencing. Mr. Beale was represented by Attorney David White of the Moundsville law firm of Neiswonger & White. The State was represented by Wetzel County Prosecutor Tim Haught. Mr. Beale was indicted by a Wetzel County Grand Jury during the January 2021 term on several counts, including Soliciting a Minor via Computer and failure to register as a Sex Offender. He pled guilty to the Failure to Register charge on July 14, 2021, and is currently serving a one to five year sentence stemming from that plea. In November of 2021, Mr. Beale pled guilty to two charges of Soliciting a Minor via Computer. It is unclear if that plea agreement was reduced to writing. At the Wednesday, July 12, 2023, sentencing hearing, Judge Cramer stated he has reviewed the pre-sentencing investigation report. The matter was reset for Thursday, July 20, 2023, at 11:00 AM. Mr. Beale was remanded.

Amanda Renee Long, age 38, with address listed at 414 Ohio Street, New Martinsville, WV, appeared in custody before the Court for a status hearing. Ms. Long was represented by Attorney Jeremiah Gardner of the Public Defender Corporation (PDC). Attorney Gardner was standing in for Attorney Roger Curry, also of the PDC. The State was represented by Wetzel County Prosecutor Tim Haught. Ms. Long was indicted by a Wetzel County Grand Jury during the May 2023 term on two felony counts of Delivery of a Controlled Substance. Not guilty pleas were entered at the May 15, 2023, arraignment, and at that time Ms. Long was placed on supervised bond to facilitate her attendance to rehabilitation. That bond was allegedly violated, Ms. Long was detained, and the State filed a motion to revoke her bond. At the Wednesday, July 12, 2023, status hearing, the Court reinstated her supervised bond. The dictates and requisites of the bond will have to be verified to be in place, and Ms. Long was remanded pending those requirements being met.

Robert Lee Brown, age 47, with address listed at 431 North Railroad Avenue, Sistersville, WV, appeared in custody before the Court for a pre-trial hearing. Mr. Brown was represented by Attorney Dean Williams of the Williams Law Firm of Wheeling. The State was represented by Wetzel County Prosecutor Tim Haught. Mr. Brown was indicted by a Wetzel County Grand Jury during the January 2023 term on one felony count of Entry of a Building Other Than a Dwelling and one misdemeanor count of Petit Larceny. Not guilty pleas were entered at the June 7, 2023, arraignment, and a trial date of July 26-27, 2023, was scheduled. At a Friday, July 7, 2023, hearing, it was stated that a plea agreement had been reached but needed to be reduced to writing, and Wednesday, July 12, 2023, was set for the entry of a plea. However, at the Wednesday, July 12, 2023, hearing, no plea was presented. Rather, Attorney Williams presented a Motion to Withdraw from the case, citing a breakdown of communication. The Court granted the Motion to Withdraw presented by Attorney Williams, and the Court appointed Attorney Kevin Neiswonger of the Moundsville law firm of Neiswonger & White to represented Mr. Brown. The July 26-27, 2023, trial date was vacated, and Judge Cramer scheduled a return to court of Friday, July 21, 2023, at 10:00 AM for a status hearing.