Meigs County Grand Jury returns November indictments

(Editor’s Note: An indictment by a grand jury does not mean the individual is guilty of a crime. It is part of the legal process. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.)

POMEROY, Ohio – Meigs County Prosecuting Attorney James K. Stanley announces that on November 14, 2018, the Meigs County Grand Jury returned twenty-four indictments against twenty individuals. Those indicted include the following:

Joshua Althouse, 33, of Racine, Ohio, was indicted for Possession of Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fifth degree. Althouse is alleged to have be in possession of methamphetamine during an encounter with law enforcement. The Racine Police Department and the Gallia-Meigs Major Crimes Task Force investigated this case.

Alexander Chandler, 30, of Gallipolis, Ohio, was indicted on four counts of Telecommunications Fraud, each a felony of the fifth degree, and one count of Theft, a misdemeanor of the first degree. Chandler is alleged to have stolen money from an individual and illegally wired the money to himself on four occasions. This case was investigated by the Meigs County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Michelle Chasteen, 32, of Rutland, Ohio, was indicted for Possession of Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fifth degree. Chasteen is alleged to have be in possession of methamphetamine during an encounter with law enforcement. The Meigs County Sheriff’s Office and the Gallia-Meigs Major Crimes Task Force investigated this case.

Michael Clay, 31, of Gallipolis, Ohio, was indicted for Trafficking in Counterfeit Controlled Substance, a felony of the fifth degree, Possession of Counterfeit Controlled Substance, a misdemeanor of the first degree, Trafficking in Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fourth degree, Possession of Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fifth degree, Trafficking in Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fourth degree, and Possession of Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fifth degree. This case was investigated by the Gallia-Meigs Major Crimes Task Force.

Christopher Conley, 28, of Pomeroy, Ohio, was indicted for Receiving Stolen Property, a felony of the fourth degree. Conley is alleged to have been in possession of a stolen motorcycle. This case was investigated by the Pomeroy Police Department.

Kristen Harrison, 24, of Pomeroy, Ohio, was indicted for Breaking and Entering, a felony of the fifth degree, and Theft, a felony of the fifth degree. Harrison is alleged to have broken into an unoccupied structure and stolen numerous items. This case was investigated by the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office.

Misty Hawk, 36, of Athens, Ohio, was indicted for Receiving Stolen Property, a felony of the fourth degree. Hawk is alleged to have been in possession of a stolen motor vehicle. This case was investigated by the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office. In a separate indictment, Hawk was also indicted for Theft, a felony of the fourth degree. Hawk is alleged to have stolen a different motor vehicle. This case was investigated by the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office and the Meigs County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Marandia Johnson, 38, of Reedsville, Ohio, was indicted on sixteen counts of Sexual Battery, each a felony of the third degree. Johnson is alleged to have engaged in sexual conduct with two minor students who were enrolled at the school in which she was employed. The Meigs County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.

Ronnie Johnson, 41, of Racine, Ohio, was indicted for Possession of Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fifth degree. Johnson is alleged to have been in possession of methamphetamine during an encounter with law enforcement. This case was investigated by the Racine Police Department and the Gallia-Meigs Major Crimes Task Force.

Jason Lambert, 38, of Middleport, Ohio, was indicted for Assault of a Peace Officer, a felony of the fifth degree. Lambert is alleged to have assaulted a Middleport Police Officer who responded to a possible overdose at Lambert’s residence. The Middleport Police Department investigated this case.

Terry Lambert, 26, of Langsville, Ohio, was indicted for Possession of Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fifth degree. Lambert is alleged to have been in possession of methamphetamine during an encounter with law enforcement. The Meigs County Sheriff’s Office and the Gallia-Meigs Major Crimes Task Force investigated this case.

Christopher Lyons, 34, of Coolville, Ohio, was indicted for Theft, a felony of the fourth degree. Lyons is alleged to have committed a theft by deception by taking $62,500 from the victim as part of an investment scam. This case was investigated by the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio BCI.

Harley McDonald, 37, of Nelsonville, Ohio, was indicted for Breaking and Entering, a felony of the fifth degree, and Theft, a felony of the fifth degree. McDonald is alleged to have broken into a business in Rutland, Ohio and stolen money from that business. This case was investigated by the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office. In a separate indictment, McDonald was also indicted for Escape, a felony of the third degree. This case was also investigated by the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office.

Sarah Miller, 24, of Middleport, Ohio, was indicted for Trafficking in Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fourth degree, Possession of Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fifth degree, and Trafficking in Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fourth degree. This case was investigated by the Gallia-Meigs Major Crimes Task Force.

John Partlow, 59, of Rutland, Ohio, was indicted for Obstructing Justice, a felony of the third degree. Partlow is alleged to have lied about the presence of a suspect in his home in order to keep that person from being apprehended by law enforcement. This case was investigated by the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office.

Brian Ross, 40, of Middleport, Ohio, was indicted for Domestic Violence, a felony of the fourth degree. Ross is alleged to have caused physical harm to a family member. This case was investigated by the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office. In a separate indictment, Ross was indicted for Domestic Violence, a felony of the fourth degree. Ross is again alleged to have caused physical harm to a family member. This case was investigated by the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office.

Stephanie Shamblin, 27, of Racine, Ohio, was indicted for Possession of Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fifth degree, and Trafficking in Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fourth degree. Shamblin is alleged to have been in possession of methamphetamine with the intent to sell that methamphetamine during an encounter with law enforcement. This case was investigated by the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office and the Gallia-Meigs Major Crimes Task Force. In a separate indictment, Shamblin was indicted for Possession of Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fifth degree, and Trafficking in Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the fourth degree. Shamblin is again alleged to have been in possession of methamphetamine with the intent to sell that methamphetamine during an encounter with law enforcement. This case was investigated by the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office and the Gallia-Meigs Major Crimes Task Force.

Emily G. Smith, 29, of Rutland, Ohio, was indicted for Possession of Drugs (Methamphetamine), a felony of the third degree, Possession of Drugs (Heroin), a felony of the second degree, Possession of Drugs (Fentanyl), a felony of the third degree, Possession of Drugs (Etizolam), a felony of the fifth degree, and Possession of Drugs (Alprazolam), a misdemeanor of the first degree. Smith is alleged to have been in possession of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, etizolam, and alprazolam during an impaired driving investigation. The Meigs County Sheriff’s Office and the Gallia-Meigs Major Crimes Task Force investigated this case.

Angel Welsh, 29, of Rutland, Ohio, was indicted for Complicity (Breaking and Entering), a felony of the fifth degree, and Complicity (Theft), a felony of the fifth degree. Welsh is alleged to have aided Harley McDonald in his alleged commission of breaking and entering and theft offenses against a business in Rutland, Ohio. This case was investigated by the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office.

Kyle Wolfe, 29, of Pomeroy, Ohio, was indicted for Burglary, a felony of the third degree. Wolfe is alleged to have broken into the garage portion of a residence in order to steal property from that garage. The Meigs County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.

All cases will proceed in the Meigs County Court of Common Pleas before Judge I. Carson Crow.

For informational purposes, possible penalties for felony offenses include: felonies of the first degree- 3-11 years in prison and up to a $20,000 fine; felonies of the second degree- 2-8 years in prison and up to a $15,000 fine; felonies of the third degree- 9-36 months in prison and up to a $10,000 fine; felonies of the fourth degree- 6-18 months in prison and up to a $5,000 fine; felonies of the fifth degree- 6-12 months in prison and up to a $2,500 fine. For most felonies of the fourth and fifth degrees, sentencing guidelines found in the Ohio Revised Code require first-time offenders to be sentenced to community control unless certain conditions exist permitting the imposition of a prison sentence.