MOUNT VERNON — Indictments were returned in 13 cases on Monday by a Knox County grand jury for various felony crimes. Arraignments are scheduled for July 25 at 9 a.m. in the Knox County Court of Common Pleas before Judge Otho Eyster.
According to Knox County Prosecutor John Thatcher, three men face charges in unrelated cases of marijuana cultivation, possession and trafficking.
On June 13 at about 10:45 a.m., the Knox County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Timothy R. Patterson’s residence on Beckley Road, Mount Vernon. Patterson, 31, had allegedly converted two upstairs rooms into a marijuana growing operation. The sheriff’s office seized approximately 80 growing marijuana plants and a quantity of dried marijuana, as well as fertilizers, potting soil, fans, grow lights and other items commonly used to grow marijuana. Thatcher said the total weight of the seized marijuana exceeds 2,000 grams. The KCSO also seized over 19 grams of hashish, which is a liquid preparation made from the resin contained in marijuana.
Patterson faces charges of illegal cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana and possession of hashish. Thatcher said Patterson is also charged with child endangering for allowing his 3-year-old child to live in the residence while the alleged marijuana grow was in operation. Detective Sgt. Gary Rohler, Detective Roger Brown and Detective Dave Light, KCSO, investigated the case with the assistance of special agents from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
On June 30 at about 4:45 p.m., the KCSO seized approximately 80 growing marijuana plants and other items commonly used to grow marijuana at the residence of George R. Bird Jr., on Thayer Road, Mount Vernon. Thatcher said the total weight of the seized marijuana exceeds 1,700 grams. Bird, 37, is charged with illegal cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana. Rohler, Brown and Light also investigated this case.
On June 27 at about 8 p.m., the Mount Vernon Police Department seized over 400 grams of marijuana, pursuant to a search warrant, at John F. Lyon’s residence on North Sandusky Street. Earlier the same day, Lyons, 45, also allegedly sold a quantity of marijuana to a confidential informant working for the MVPD. Thatcher said Lyons is charged with trafficking in marijuana and possession of marijuana. Detective Sgt. Jeff Jacobs, Detective Cpl. Matt Dailey and Detective Craig Feeney, MVPD, investigated the case.
In other drug cases, Chase E. Wells, 23, Mount Vernon, was indicted for possession of 1.2 grams of cocaine and for allegedly conveying the cocaine into the Knox County Jail after he was arrested on March 2 by Patrolman Matt Jones, MVPD, for a probation violation.
George S. Lynds, 60, Mount Vernon, is accused of possessing crack cocaine. On March 27, Patrolman Jeremiah Armstrong of the MVPD arrested Lynds for obstructing official business. During a search incident to the arrest, Armstrong found a clear plastic baggie in Lynds’ front pants pocket allegedly containing 1.5 grams of crack cocaine.
On April 1, John A. Newman, 37, Zanesville, was stopped for a suspected speeding violation by Trooper Mason Boyce, Ohio State Highway Patrol, on U.S. 62 south of Danville. Upon learning that Newman had an active warrant, Boyce arrested Newman and found an “Altoids” tin containing three Ritalin tablets during a search incident to the arrest. Newman did not have a prescription for Ritalin, which is a Schedule II controlled substance under Ohio law, according to Thatcher.
Richard K. Sharp, 41, Danville, faces counts of aggravated vehicular assault, vehicular assault and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol as the result of a two-vehicle serious injury crash on Ohio 514, on April 7. Thatcher said an investigation conducted by Trooper Coby Holloway, OSHP, revealed that Sharp’s southbound pickup truck allegedly went left of center, striking a northbound mini-van driven by a 69-year-old female victim. Thatcher said the victim suffered four broken ribs, a broken knee cap and a torn ACL. At the time of the crash, Sharp allegedly had a blood alcohol level of 0.156, and he tested positive for marijuana use.
David W. Gordon, 50, Sunbury, is charged with failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer. According to Thatcher, on July 2, at about 9:30 p.m., Gordon allegedly failed to stop the motorcycle he was operating when Patrolman Brian Weiser, MVPD, attempted to pull him over for suspected drunk driving. Weiser used the siren, lights and public address system on his patrol car while he pursued Gordon from Harcourt Road at Kinney Road to U.S. 36 at Dunham Road in Mount Liberty, where Gordon lost control and crashed his motorcycle. Thatcher said Gordon allegedly went left of center over a dozen times, forcing one vehicle off the road.
On July 3 at about 10:30 p.m., Michael E. Thompson, 40, Mount Vernon, entered a local convenience store and asked the store clerk if he could pay for his items with a $50 bill. Thompson did not produce a $50 bill, but instead he allegedly grabbed the $45 in change from the store clerk’s hand and ran out of the store. Sgt. Mark Perkins, MVPD, arrested Thompson for robbery after Thompson’s parole officer and two store employees allegedly identified him from the store’s security video.
Benjamin E. Kerr, 39, Mount Vernon, is charged with theft of building materials belonging to a West Vine Street business. On May 8, when Patrolman Mike Wheeler, MVPD, stopped a pickup truck loaded with the building materials, Kerr allegedly confessed that he had taken the building materials without the permission of the owner. Thatcher said the value of the building materials is $1,184.99.
Larry D. Weikle, 44, Butler, is accused of stealing 356 feet of copper cable from a local telephone company. On June 11, a telephone company employee saw Weikle allegedly loading the copper cable into his pickup truck. The next morning, when Weikle returned the copper cable to the telephone company and Deputy Kevin Durbin of the KCSO, Weikle allegedly confessed to taking the copper cable without the permission of the owner. Thatcher said the value of the building materials is $1,128.52.
Edbin Moralez, 32, Mount Vernon, was indicted on charges of rape and gross sexual imposition for allegedly engaging in sexual conduct and having sexual contact with a 10-year-old child, on Jan. 15. Thatcher said the alleged incident occurred in Moralez’s apartment when the child’s mother was visiting Moralez’s roommate. Detective Tom Bumpus, KCSO, investigated the case.
Alan D. Pelow II, 21, Mount Vernon, is accused of having sex with a 15-year-old child, on Aug. 15, 2007. Thatcher said Pelow was 20 years old at the time of the alleged unlawful sexual conduct with a minor; he is charged with a felony because he was more than four years older than the victim at the time of the alleged offense. Bumpus investigated the case.
