TWO LAWRENCE COUNTY MEN INDICTED IN SEPARATE CASES, WHILE IN A THIRD CASE, A LAWRENCE COUNTY WOMAN IS NAMED AS AN UNINDICTED POSSIBLE CO-CONSPIRATOR
JANUARY 28, 2021 – written by WADE QUEEN
The Martin County Grand Jury returned 25 indictments against 24 individuals on Thursday, January 21, including one indictment for manslaughter involving drugs. However that case is now redundant and will be dropped in court for a very recent tragic circumstance.
Christopher Ray Newsome, 28, of Debord, Kentucky; was charged with second-degree manslaughter, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, fentanyl and second-degree persistent felony offender.
According to the indictment, on or before July 30, 2020, Christopher Newsome allegedly caused the death of Ryan Scott Marcum by providing him with fentanyl, causing his death. Newsome also possessed fentanyl and was a previously convicted felon, the indictment said.
Unfortunately, the indictment against Christopher Ray Newsome is no longer a criminal court case matter that will need, due to an unexpected tragic development, as three days before the incident was unsealed, Christopher Ray Newsome, only 28 years old, passed away January 18, 2021 at Highlands Regional Medical Center. The cause of Christopher Ray Newsome’s death has not been officially publicly revealed by his family.
Others individuals named in the true bills indictments include as the following:
Casey J. Spence, 22, of Tomahawk, Kentucky; was charged with
- Receiving stolen property;
- second-degree persistent felony offender;
- second-degree fleeing or evading and
- operating on a suspended license
- for allegedly according to the indictment:
- on or before August 18, 2020, Casey Spence, acting alone or in complicity with Kara Stamper, possessed a 1988 Ford pickup stolen from Jeffrey Bevins of Louisa, with value of $750; Spence is a previously convicted felon; disregarded signals and commands to stop given by Martin County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Evans in an attempt to flee from arrest and operated a motor vehicle on the roadway while his license was suspended or revoked.
Donald K. Harris, 40, of Ulysses, Kentucky; was charged with flagrant non-support for allegedly failing to pay more than $29,041.19 in child support from March 1, 2006, through October 31, 2020.
Ronald Chadwick Crum, 42, of Tomahawk, Kentucky; was charged with flagrant non-support for allegedly failing to pay more than $81,603.20 in child support from September 4, 2003, through October 31, 2020.
Melvin Fletcher, 58, of Inez, Kentucky; was charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, less than 10 dosage units; second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, less than 20 dosage units; and second-degree persistent felony offender for allegedly possessing oxycodone and gabapentin with the intent to traffic on Gabapentin on September 21, 2020, and for being a previously convicted felon.
Samuel Martin Horn, 47, of Louisa, Kentucky; was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and operating on a suspended operator’s license for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and operating a motor vehicle upon a roadway while his license had been suspended or revoked on October 8, 2020.
Tommie Spears, 58, of Lovely, Kentucky; was charged in two separate indictments. In the first indictment, Tommie Spears is charged with third-degree trafficking greater than 20 dosage units, firearm enhancement; trafficking in marijuana, 8 ounces to 5 pounds, firearm enhancement; and possession of drug paraphernalia/complicity for allegedly possessing 191 dosage units of Xanax with the intent to traffic and while possessing of 41 firearms; possessing 244.1 grams of marijuana with the intent to traffic while possessing 41 firearms; and possessing a loaded syringe on December 3, 2020. In the second indictment,
Tommie Spears is charged with two counts of receiving stolen firearms and possession of a defaced firearm for allegedly possessing on the same day a 7.62-caliber SKS assault rifle, a Remington Brand model 582 rifle/shotgun, both reported as stolen and registered as stolen on NCIC, and a handgun with the serial number removed.
Cody G. Spears, 25,(bottom) Ruby Chaffins, 45, (Top) and Laura D. Giacomoni, 37, (middle) all of Lovely, Kentucky; were charged with third-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, greater than 20 dosage units-firearm enhancement/complicity; trafficking in marijuana 8 oz to 5 lbs.-firearm enhancement/complicity and possession of drug paraphernalia/complicity. According to the indictment on or about December 3, 2020, Cody Spears, Ruby Chaffins and Laura Giacomoni, acting alone or in complicity with each other, allegedly possessed 191 dosage units of Xanax with the intent to traffic while possessing 41 firearms; possessed approximately 244.1 grams of marijuana while possessing 41 firearms; and possessed a loaded syringe.
Nathanial Maynard, 27, of Lovely, Kentucky; was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, for allegedly possessing the drug on December 3, 2020.
was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and destroying, removing, altering or concealing physical evidence that he believed would be used against him in an official proceeding on December 3, 2020.
Gary Hayes, 52, of Kermit, West Virginia; was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana for allegedly possessing methamphetamine, an altered straw and an altered pipe, and marijuana on December 3, 2020.
Aaron Jude, 25, of Lovely, Kentucky; charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and five syringes on December 3, 2020.
Robert H. Drenning, 44, of Lovely; Ryan Stumbo, 29, both of Dunlow, West Virginia; and Timothy Stacy, 49, of Inez, Kentucky; were charged with first-degree trafficking in greater than 2 grams of methamphetamine/complicity for allegedly, acting alone or in complicity with each other, possessing 9.93 grams of methamphetamine and digital scales with the intent of trafficking in the methamphetamine on December 3, 2020.
Angela Slone, 45, of Inez, Kentucky; was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and second-degree disorderly conduct for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and a syringe, and engaging in violent or threatening behavior in a public place with the intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance and or alarm on September 24, 2020.
John P. Jones, 35, of Matewan, West Virginia; was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, third-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession/use of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing methamphetamine, neurontin and a glass case used to store drugs and a glass pipe on November 19, 2020.
Christopher Michael Chaffins, 28, of Beauty, Kentucky; was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance for allegedly possessing methamphetamine on October 5, 2020.
Edgar Maynard Jr., 27, of Inez, Kentucky; was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance for allegedly possessing methamphetamine on September. 7, 2020.
William D. Patrick, 30, of Warfield, Kentucky; was charged with driving on a DUI-suspended license, third offense or greater within 10 years; careless driving; no or expired registration plates; and no or expired registration receipt. According to the indictment, on or before October 21, 2020, Patrick was allegedly in physical control of a motor vehicle while his operator’s license was suspended with three prior convictions within 10 years; operated a motor vehicle upon the roadway in a careless manner toward other motor vehicles upon that roadway and with no or expired registration receipt.
Dwayne E. Crum Jr., 28, of Inez, Kentucky; was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession/use of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and two syringes on September 16, 2020.
Boone Fletcher Jr., 48, of Inez, Kentucky; was charged with trafficking in marijuana, less than 8 ounces for allegedly possessing 23 grams of marijuana hash, four marijuana cigarettes, numerous types of seeds and $1,291.87 in cash money, with the intent to traffic in the 23 grams of marijuana on October 27, 2020.
