The following hearings were recently held in Pocahontas County Circuit Court before the Honorable Judges Robert E. Richardson and Jennifer P. Dent:
Arraignment Hearings:
Larry A Turner, 42, of Marlinton, appearing by video from the Southern Regional Jail, pleaded not guilty to One Count, entry of a building other than a dwelling, a felony; One Count, wanton endangerment involving a firearm, a felony; One Count, robbery in the first degree, a felony; One Count, grand larceny, a felony; One Count, presentation of a firearm during commission of a felony, a felony; One Count, person prohibited from possessing a firearm, a felony; One Count, burglary, a felony. The defense asked for modification of bond from $250,000 to $50,000. The state objected, and the court denied the motion as the defendant has matters pending in other counties.
John Robert Dockendorf, 61, of Hendersonville, North Carolina, pleaded not guilty to One Count, sexual abuse by a custodian of a child, a felony; One Count, sexual abuse, third degree, a misdemeanor. Bond was set at $30,000 cash or surety with normal conditions. The court will allow the defendant to live at his home in North Carolina. He is to have no direct or indirect contact with the victim in this matter.
Richard Brewer, 30, of Beverly, pleaded not guilty to Three Counts, willfully, unlawfully and maliciously setting fire on lands, a felony. The defendant is allowed to remain on previously posted bond.
Raymond Matthew Ramos, 39, of Neola, did not appear for his hearing. The State advised the court that the defendant has charges in Virginia that are holding him there, and he has approximately two months of incarceration left to serve.
David R. Anderson, 32, of Springfield, Tennessee, pleaded not guilty to One Count, burglary, a felony, One Count, petit larceny, a misdemeanor; One Count, battery, a misdemeanor. He will remain on current bond with the condition of no direct or indirect contact with specific individual. The defendant will be allowed to remain at his mother’s residence in Springfield, Tennessee.
Rodney Brewer, 48, of Buckeye, appearing by video from the Tygart Valley Jail, pleaded not guilty to One Count, person prohibited from possessing a firearm, a felony; One Count, driving revoked for driving under the influence, a misdemeanor; One Count, possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled non-narcotic substance, a felony; One Count, possession with intent to deliver a Schedule III controlled narcotic substance, a felony; One Count possession with intent to deliver a Schedule I controlled narcotic substance, a felony; One Count, possession with intent to deliver a Schedule II controlled narcotic substance, a felony. Bond was set at $25,000 cash or surety.
Amanda Lynn Lockman, 46, of Cass pleaded not guilty to One Count, counterfeiting, a felony. She remains on $5,000 bond.
Jeremy Self, 31, of Durbin, pleaded not guilty to Three Counts, sexual abuse in the first degree, a felony; One Count, sexual abuse by a custodian of a child, a felony. The State recommended bond be set at $30,000 cash/surety. Defense counsel advised that the defendant is only able to make a property bond of $26,000. The court set bond at $26,000. Self is to have no direct or indirect contact with the victim in this matter.
Eddie Reese Cason, Jr., 37, of Oakwood, Virginia, appeared via video from the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, and pleaded not guilty to One Count, failure to register as a sexually violent predator, a felony. The defendant was previously revoked on bond.
In other cases:
Samuel Lee Williams, 35, of Hillsboro, failed to appear for his final pre-trial conference. A capias was issued. The court will reset the trial date once the defendant is picked up.
A hearing to review sentence was held in the case the State vs Misty Jane Pritt, 33, of Elkins, wherein it was disclosed that Pritt had never been released to a drug rehab facility and has served 449 days of incarceration. The court ordered that she be released. A judgment for restitution to USAA Insurance was entered in the amount of $13,580.
A bond revocation hearing was held in the case the State vs Dustin Morrison, 26, of Marlinton. Morrison, who appeared by video from the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, did not contest the allegations in the petition to revoke bond and waived his right to a hearing. The court found probable cause that the defendant did violate one or more conditions of his bond. The defense asked that Morrison be allowed to go to a rehab lock-down facility. The state does not object as long as it is a lock down facility. An evidentiary hearing was set for April 28.
An in-person sentencing hearing was held in the case the State vs Richard Keener, 39, of Hillsboro, wherein the defendant was sentenced to not less than one year nor more than five years in the state penitentiary. He will be permitted to serve his sentence on monitored home incarceration. He is to remain in his home at all times except that he will be allowed to leave for employment reasons. Keener is to be assessed by Pocahontas County Day Report and is to apply to the Southeastern Drug Court. He was given 48 days’ credit for time served. Keener pleaded guilty in March to the felony offense of possession with intent to deliver a Schedule II controlled non-narcotic substance. The State dismissed, with prejudice, two additional counts in the indictment.
An in-person sentencing hearing was held in the case the State vs Joseph Tawney, 34, of Hillsboro, wherein defense counsel explained that the defendant has been in a drug rehab program and will graduate May 6, 2021. Tawney was sentenced to the regional jail for one year. The sentence was reduced to four months on Home Confinement, with 18 months’ probation. The court stayed the execution of the sentence until May 6, 2021. The sentence shall run concurrent with a sentence Tawney is now serving with a minimum of supervision. Tawney pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge of transferring stolen property, and the State dismissed, with prejudice, the second count in the indictment.