Circuit Court News

According to Pocahontas County Circuit Clerk Connie Carr, the following cases were heard August 8 before the Honorable James J. Rowe:

A hearing on a petition to revoke probation was held in the case the State vs Christopher Shane McClure, 35, of Hillsboro. The defendant waived his right to a preliminary hearing, and the matter was set for an evidentiary hearing on September 12 at 9:30 a.m. Bond was set at $1,000.

A change of plea hearing was held in the case the state vs Austin Drayden Shaffer, 25, an inmate in the Huttonsville Correctional Center. New misdemeanor information had been filed in the case, and the defendant pleaded guilty to simple possession of the controlled substance Suboxone. The defendant asked that the pre-sentencing investigation be waived, and that he be sentenced that day. The court sentenced him to six months with credit for time served, to run consecutive with a sentence Shaffer is already serving. He was remanded to the custody of the Department of Corrections. A felony charge was dismissed.

Tracy Ferrell, 52, of Oak Hill, was sentenced to the state penitentiary for not less than one year nor more than five years. The defendant was given credit for time served and remanded to the custody of the Department of Corrections. The sentence will be served consecutively with a sentence the defendant is already serving. Ferrell pleaded guilty June 25 to one Count conspiracy to commit a felony.

A pre-trial is set for October 3 at 10 a.m. and trial is set for October 14 at 9 a.m. in the case the state vs Darin Ramsey, 25, of Durbin.