By Stephen Smoot
The Pendleton County Grand Jury in the Circuit Court of Pendleton County, West Virginia released their list of indictments issued for July 2. A grand jury indictment is not a proof of guilt. It is a finding by a body of citizens that there is enough evidence to proceed with a trial by petit jury. The petit jury, composed of an assemblage of 12 of the defendant’s peers, then hears the testimony and determines if the defendant is guilty or not guilty.
Not guilty in a petit jury trial does not necessarily mean innocent, but that the jury has found that the prosecution did not prove its case. The US Constitution forbids retrying an individual on the same charge who was found not guilty.
In the case of State of West Virginia vs. Farrel Mark Greer, “The Grand Jurors of the State of West Virginia . . . present that between January 27th and January 29th, 2024, that FARREL MARK GREER did . . . commit the felony offense of Threatening Retaliation Against a Public Employee, by unlawfully and feloniously, with the intent to retaliate against Prosecutor April Mallow, for the performance of her duties, in an earlier prosecution on July 6, 2021 and a later Probation revocation on November 9, 2021, of Defendant, threatened to cause injury, or loss to the person, or property of Prosecutor April Mallow, when such threat was directed at producing imminent lawless action of a violent nature that could cause bodily harm, by threatening to put her in the ground . . . and against the peace and dignity of the State.”
In the case of the State of West Virginia vs. Julie A. Koontz, the Grand Jurors issued four counts. The first count claimed Koontz “on or about June 8, 2022 . . . did unlawfully and feloniously deliver a controlled substance, to wit: Methamphetamine . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
The second count alleges that she “on, or about June 8, 2022 . . . did unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously, conspire with APRIL NICOLE WALKER, belonging to a conspiratorial group consisting of two or more persons, to commit the offense Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) . . . in an amount of not less than four hundred ninety-nine milligrams nor more than five grams . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
The third count alleges that she “on or about June 13, 2022 . . . did unlawfully and feloniously deliver a controlled substance, to wit: Methamphetamine . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
The fourth count alleges that she “on or about June 15, 2022 . . . did unlawfully and feloniously deliver a controlled substance, to wit: Methamphetamine . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
In the case of the State of West Virginia vs. Kayla Cheyenne Blackburn, the Grand Jurors indicted her on one count of Possession of an Unauthorized Device With Intent to Defraud,, alleging that “on or about or between August 22, 2020, and September 1, 2020 . . . (she) did unlawfully and feloniously, knowingly and willfully, and with the intent to defraud, possess a counterfeit or an unauthorized access device . . . with the intent to defraud . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
In the case of the State of West Virginia vs. Corey Lee Alexander, the Grand Jurors indicted him on one count of grand larceny, alleging that “on or about or between December 23, 2023 . . . (that he) did unlawfully and feloniously steal, take, and carry away money, goods, effects, property, or chattels belonging to another with the intent to permanently deprive the owner thereof . . . having a total value of $2,330 . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
In the case of the State of West Virginia vs. Trevor Bryce Simmons, Grand Jurors indicted him on three counts. The first count of “Attempt to Commit Sexual Abuse in the First Degree” alleges that he “on or about the 3rd day of June 2024 . . . did unlawfully and feloniously, attempt to subject another person to sexual contact without their consent and the lack of consent was a forcible compulsion but failed to commit or was preventing from committing said offense . . . (and) did unlawfully and feloniously attempt to subject , a minor child . . .against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
The second count of “Sexual Abuse By a Parent, Guardian, Custodian, or Person In a Position of Trust” alleges that he “on or about the 3rd day of June 2024 . . . did unlawfully and feloniously . . .attempt to engage in sexual contact with said child under his care, custody, or control, against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
The third count of “Domestic Battery” alleges that he “on or about the 3rd day of June 2024 . . . did unlawfully and intentionally make physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature to their family or household member or did unlawfully and intentionally cause physical harm to their family or household member . . . a minor child . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
In the case of State of West Virginia vs. Macie Melinda Hoffman, the Grand Jurors returned an indictment for “Fleeing in a Vehicle With Reckless Indifference.” It alleges that she “on or about August 1, 2023 . . . did unlawfully, feloniously, and intentionally flee or attempt to flee in a vehicle from an law enforcement officer . . . 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 others . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
In the case of State of West Virginia vs. Nicole Ours the Grand Jurors issued an indictment for Conspiracy, alleging that “on or about November 12, 2022 . . . (she) did unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously, conspire with RYAN C. THOMPSON . . . to commit the offense Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) . . . in an amount of not less than five grams, but fewer than fifty grams . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
In the case of State of West Virginia vs. Ryan C. Thompson, Grand Jurors indicted him on three counts. The first count of “Delivery of a Controlled Substance” alleges that “on or about November 12, 2022 . . . (he) did unlawfully and feloniously deliver a controlled substance, to wit: Methamphetamine . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
The second count of Conspiracy alleges that he “did unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously conspire with NICOLE OURS . . . to commit the offense Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
The third count of “Delivery of a Controlled Substance” alleges that he “on or about or between November 16, 2022, and November 17, 2022 . . . did unlawfully and feloniously deliver a controlled substance . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
In the case of State of West Virginia vs. Michael Scott Ballard the Grand Jurors returned an indictment for Conspiracy, alleging that “on or about June 15, 2023 . . . (he) did unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously conspire with VANCE HARPER FERRIS . . . to commit the offense Delivery of a Controlled Substance . . . in an amount of not less than four hundred ninety-nine milligrams nor more than five grams of methamphetamine . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
In the case of State of West Virginia vs. Vance Harper Ferris, Grand Jurors returned five counts. The first charges him with “Delivery of a Controlled Substance, Second or Subsequent Offense” and alleges that “on or about June 15, 2023 . . . did unlawfully and feloniously deliver a controlled substance, to wit: Methamphetamine . . . and having been previously convicted on one or more occasion of a similar offense, that being on August 31, 2010 . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
The second count of “Delivery of a Controlled Substance, Second or Subsequent Offense” alleges the same information stated in the first count.
The third count charges him with Conspiracy and alleges that “on or about June 15, 2023 . . . (he) did unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously conspire with MICHAEL SCOTT BALLARD . . . to commit the offense Delivery of a Controlled Substance . . . in an amount not less than four hundred ninety-nine milligrams nor more than five grams . . . against the peace and dignity of the State of West Virginia.”
The fourth count of “Delivery of a Controlled Substance, Second or Subsequent Offense” states the same information as in the first two counts, but the alleged offense occurred on June 26, 2023.
The fifth count of “Delivery of a Controlled Substance, Second or Subsequent Offense” alleges the same information as the previous count, but the alleged offense occurred on June 28, 2023.
