Circuit Court

According to Pocahontas County Circuit Clerk Connie Carr, the following hearings were held January 10 and 11 before the Honorable Judge Jennifer P. Dent:

Christopher M. Gibson, 40, of Marlinton, pleaded not guilty to one count failure to register as a sex offender or provide notice of registration changes, second offense. The state advised the court that Gibson has not complied at all with any offender registration. A cash or surety bond was set at $2,500, which was to be posted in 24 hours or the defendant would be remanded to the regional jail.

Rodney K. Swearingen, 36, of Hillsboro, pleaded not guilty to one count burglary, one count petit larceny and one count destruction of property. The state objected to a defense motion for reduction of bond to a personal recognizance bond as the “neighborhood may be afraid.” The court reduced Swearingen’s bond to $2,000 cash or surety.

Morgan B. Mason, 19, of Hillsboro, pleaded not guilty to one count possession with intent to deliver a Schedule II controlled non-narcotic. A pretrial status conference is set for March 7. Mason remains on current bond.

Russell Sharp, 32, of Marlinton, pleaded not guilty to one count malicious wounding, two counts battery and one count destruction of property. Defense council asked that the $18,000 bond be reduced. The state agreed to a $10,000 bond, and the court reduced the bond to $9,000 with the same conditions as the magistrate attached to the bond, with the special condition of no contact with the three victims.

Catherine L. McDaniels, 38, of Slaty Fork, pleaded not guilty to one count possession with intent to deliver a Schedule II controlled non-narcotic substance, five counts forgery, five counts uttering, three counts obtaining money by false pretenses and one count fraudulent schemes.

An evidentiary and revocation of probation hearing was held in the case the State vs William Robert Ratliff, Jr., wherein the state’s exhibit of a criminal complaint in the magistrate court of Greenbrier County was admitted to the record. The court did not revoke probation, but did find a violation of the terms and conditions of probation, and the defendant was sanctioned to 30 days in the regional jail.