Randolph Grand Jury indicts 36 (2024)

ELKINS — A total of 36 people were named in indictments handed down Monday by a Randolph County Grand Jury, on charges ranging from malicious assault to illegal voting to murder.

Kenneth Jack Gilliam, 57, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on one count of murder, and one count of assault during the commission of a felony, both felonies.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Randolph County Magistrate Court, Randolph County Sheriff’s Office Deputies A.B. Beverly and L.R. Elbon responded to a home on Diamond Street in regard to a reported stabbing at approximately 3:40 p.m. March 5. Elkins City Police and the Elkins Detachment of the West Virginia State Police were also on the scene.

The criminal complaint states that once the deputies arrived on the scene, they located the victim of the stabbing on the back porch of the residence and identified him as Donald Kelly, Gilliam’s stepfather. The complaint states Kelly had a wound near his chest area and that it appeared to be consistent with a knife wound.

The victim was transported to Davis Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries shortly afterward, according to the criminal complaint.

After officers located and detained Gilliam at the residence, he told police that he had stabbed Kelly, the complaint states. Police were advised that the kitchen knife used in the stabbing was located in the kitchen and they were able to seize the weapon. Police on scene also spoke with Gilliam’s mother, who told police that she was on the back porch when the incident took place.

The complaint also states that Gilliam had made a call into 911 before the stabbing took place. He advised the operator that his stepfather and mother were arguing and that “If somebody don’t come up here and get him, I’m about to kill him.”

According to the complaint, during the same call to 911, Gilliam told the operator “Never mind, you can’t do anything, I will” before hanging up the phone.

Others indicted Monday include:

Daniel Ernest Worles, 45, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, and one count of conspiracy, both felonies.

Ryan Kelly Barb, 30, of Elkins, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, and one count of conspiracy, both felonies.

Nathan Scott Berry, 30, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on one count of possession by a prohibited person of a firearm, a felony, and one count of obstructing an officer, a misdemeanor.

D’arcy William Carter, 53, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on one count of malicious assault, one count of domestic battery, third or subsequent offense, one count of sexual assault in the second degree, and one count of strangulation, all felonies.

Jon Cole Cooper, 58, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was indicted on one count of illegal voting, a misdemeanor.

Jesse James Copen, 44, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on two counts of possession by prohibited person of a firearm, one count of carrying a concealed firearm by a person prohibited from possessing a firearm, three counts of wanton endangerment involving a firearm, all felonies, and two counts of domestic battery, a misdemeanor.

Russell Shane Crites, 33, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on one count of shoplifting, third offense, a felony.

Billy Joe Currence, Jr., 35, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, a felony, and one count of obstructing an officer,a misdemeanor.

In a separate and unrelated indictment, Currence was indicted on three counts of delivery of a controlled substance, a felony.

Carol Lynn Fincham, 49, of Mill Creek, was indicted on one count of driving under the influence of alcohol, third or subsequent offense, a felony.

Jonathan William Harris, 37, of Elkins, was indicted on two counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, and one count of possession of fentanyl, both felonies.

Betsy Lynn Hilson, 50, was indicted on two counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, two counts of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian, or person in a position of trust to a child, and one count of incest, all felonies.

Paul Grant Himes, Jr., 38, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on two counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, second offense, and one count of possession of fentanyl, all felonies.

Gary Eugene Kidd, 54, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on one count of driving while license revoked for DUI, Third Offense, a felony, and one count of fleeing in a vehicle, one count of obstructing an officer, and one count of reckless driving, a misdemeanor.

Eric Charles Liotti, 20, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on one count of fleeing in a vehicle with reckless indifference, a felony, and one count of reckless driving, one count of defective equipment, a misdemeanor, one count of failure to obey a traffic control device, and one count of false information, all misdemeanors.

Tara Jo Martin, 34, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on three counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, and three counts of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian, all felonies.

Tony Allen McClung, 36, of Mabie, was indicted on one count of driving while license revoked for DUI, third offense, a felony, and one count of no insurance, and one count of no registration, both misdemeanors.

Adam Michael Miller, 30, an inmate of Huttonsville Correctional Center, Huttonsville, was indicted on two counts of attempted possession of a controlled substance by an inmate, two counts of offense committed by inmate, and one count of conspiracy, all felonies.

Christina Blair Lemley, 30, of Belpre, Ohio, was indicted on two counts of attempted transportation of controlled substances onto the grounds of a correctional facility, two counts of attempted delivery of contraband to an inmate, and one count of conspiracy, all felonies.

Jacob Daniel Miller, 28, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on one count of burglary and one count of grand larceny, both felonies, and one count of destruction of property, a misdemeanor.

Kevin James Parrack, 38, an inmate of McDowell County Correctional Center, was indicted on two counts of attempted transportation of controlled substances onto the grounds of a correctional facility, two counts of attempted possession of a controlled substance by inmate, one count of offense committed by an inmate, and one count of conspiracy, a felony.

Lisa Marie Spiva, 38, of Dailey, was indicted on two counts of attempted transportation of controlled substances onto the grounds of a correctional facility, two counts of attempted delivery of contraband to an inmate, and one count of conspiracy, all felonies.

Michelle Elizabeth Pelfrey, 35, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on two counts of child abuse resulting in bodily injury, four counts of child neglect resulting in bodily injury, one count of distribution and display to minor of obscene matter, all felonies, and two counts of child neglect creating substantial risk of injury, a misdemeanor.

Michael Scott Pelfrey, 59, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on one count of child abuse resulting in bodily injury, one count of child neglect resulting in bodily injury, all felonies, and two counts of child neglect creating substantial risk of injury, a misdemeanor

Robert Daniel Shaw, 35, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on four counts of child abuse resulting in bodily injury,, a felony, and two counts of child neglect creating substantial risk of injury, a misdemeanor.

Austin David Poyner, 21, of Elkins, was indicted on one count of sexual assault in the third degree, and one count of delivery of a controlled substance, all felonies.

Joshua Thomas Rose, 33, an inmate of Northern Correctional Center, was indicted on one count of offense committed by an inmate, a felony, one count of battery upon a correctional employee, a misdemeanor, and one count of assault upon a correctional employee, a misdemeanor.

Jessica Kay Patsy Shaffer, 29, of Elkins, was indicted on three counts of forgery, three counts of uttering, and one count of conspiracy, all felonies.

Charles William Smith, 36, an inmate at the South Central Regional Jail, was indicted on three counts of forgery, three counts of uttering, and one count of conspiracy, all felonies

Michael Eugene Stackpole, 27, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on one count of fleeing in a vehicle with reckless indifference, a felony, and one count of fleeing from an officer by any means other than the use of a vehicle, driving while license revoked for DUI, and one count of reckless driving, all misdemeanors.

Faustino Jason Stokes, an inmate of Beckley Correctional Center, was indicted on one count of possession of a stolen vehicle, a felony.

Justin Thomas Tilley, 45, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, was indicted on two counts of child abuse resulting in bodily injury, a felony, and two counts of domestic battery, a misdemeanor.

Cara Anne Belgrade, 26, of Elkins, was indicted on two counts of child neglect resulting in bodily injury, a felony.

Benjamin Lee Wilson, 35, an inmate of Huttonsville Correctional Center, Huttonsville, was indicted on two counts of attempted possession of a controlled substance by inmate, one count of conspiracy, and two counts of offense committed by inmate, all felonies.

Sierra Wolfe-Hawkins, 25, of Terra Alta, was indicted on two counts of transportation of controlled substances onto the grounds of a correctional facility, two counts of attempted delivery of contraband to an inmate, and one count of conspiracy, all felonies.

Gene Brandon Wright, 38, of Newell, was indicted on one count of malicious assault, and one count of offense committed by an inmate, a felony.

Bond return for the indictments returned by the October 2022 term of the Randolph County Grand Jury will be on Monday, Nov. 7 at 1:30 p.m., at which time bond will be set and trial dates will be determined.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.