By Stephen Smoot
The November term of the Pendleton County grand jury returned charges against seven individuals. All are considered innocent under the law until proven guilty in court.
Isaac N. Eye was indicted on two counts. The first charge, a felony, states that he “did unlawfully and feloniously possess, with intent to deliver, a controlled substance, to wit: Methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
The second charge, a felony, states that Eye “did unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously conspire with Edward Robert Simon, belonging to a conspiratorial group of one or more persons, to commit the offense of Possession With Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), a Felony, in violation of W. Va Code 60A-4-401, (a) (i) and that one or more of the party members of the conspiracy did commit acts in furtherance thereof, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
Matthew Craig Gilbert was indicted on five counts. The indictment states in the first count, a felony, that he “did unlawfully, feloniously, and intentionally flee or attempt to flee in a vehicle from any law enforcement officer . . . acting in his or her official capacity, after the officer gave a clear visual or audible signal to stop, and did operate the vehicle in a manner showing a reckless indifference to the safety of others . . .”
The second count, a felony, states that “the Defendant, did unlawfully, feloniously, and intentionally flee, or attempt to flee in a vehicle from Deputy M. J. Kontyko, a law enforcement officer acting in his or her official capacity, after the officer gave a clear visual or audible signal to stop, and the Defendant was under a controlled substance, that being Methamphetamine, a Schedule II, non-narcotic drug, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
The third count, a misdemeanor, states that Gilbert “did unlawfully, knowingly, and intentionally make physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature or did unlawfully and intentionally cause physical harm to a . . . law enforcement officer acting in an official capacity . . . to wit: Deputy M. J. Kontyko, a law enforcement officer employed with the Pendleton County Sheriff’s Department, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
The fourth count, a misdemeanor, states that Gilbert “did unlawfully attempt to commit a violent injury to the person of a . . . law enforcement officer, acting in their official capacity . . . to wit: Deputy M. J. Kontyko, a law enforcement officer employed with the Pendleton County Sheriff’s Department, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
The fifth count, a misdemeanor, states that Gilbert “did unlawfully and intentionally flee, or attempt to flee by means other than a vehicle from any law enforcement officer . . . to wit: Deputy M. J. Kontyko, a law enforcement officer who was attempting to make a lawful arrest of the person and said Defendant knew, or had reason to believe that the officer was attempting to arrest them, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
Ronald Warren Griest was indicted on one count, a felony. The indictment states that he “did unlawfully and feloniously deliver a controlled substance, to wit, Marijuana, a Schedule 1 non-narcotic drug, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
Edward Robert Simon was indicted on two charges. The first charge, a felony, states that he “did unlawfully and feloniously possess with intent to deliver a controlled substance, to wit: Methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
The second charge, a felony, states that Simon, “did unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously conspire with, Isaac N. Eye, belonging to a conspiratorial group consisting of two or more persons, to commit the offense of Possession With Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) a Felony, in violation of W. Va Code 60A-4-401 (a) (i), and that one or more members of the conspiracy did act in furtherance thereof, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
Michael Allen Turner was indicted on a single charge, a felony, “to wit: the Defendant Michael Turner did knowingly refuse to provide accurate information or did knowingly fail to provide notice of a change in his email account, Facebook account, TikTok account, and Messenger Account within ten business days, having previously been convicted of a qualifying offense involving a minor or other qualifying offense requiring registry for life by order of the Circuit Court of Pendleton County, West Virginia . . . and having previously been convicted of Failure to register as a Sexual Offender . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
Melinda K. Warner was indicted on 45 total charges. The first, a felony, charges that “to wit: the Defendant, Melinda K. Warner, with the intent to defraud, did possess and unauthorized access device . . . and did use such unauthorized access device to obtain merchandise from ETSY.COM in the amount of $134.17, against the dignity and peace of the State of West Virginia.”
The second count, a felony, states that “to wit: the Defendant, Melinda K. Warner, with the intent to defraud, did possess an unauthorized access device . . . and did use such unauthorized access device to obtain merchandise from LION BRAND YARN in the amount of $269.60, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.
These plus the remaining 43 counts of fraud total $6,683.70.
Martin Allen Wimer was indicted on two charges. The first, a felony, states that he “did unlawfully and feloniously, break and enter, or enter without breaking . . . , to wit, an Outbuilding . . . with the intent to commit a larceny in violation of W. Va Code 61-3-13, to wit: Petit Larceny, a misdemeanor, in violation of W. Va Code 61-3-13 (b), and did steal and carry away a red in color metal gas can and a red in color plastic gas can with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of the same, having a value of $90.00, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.
The second, a misdemeanor, states that Wimer, “did unlawfully and within one year before the finding of this Indictment, steal, take, and carry away” the objects described in the first count.
