MOUNT VERNON — Twenty indictments were handed down by a Knox County grand jury on Monday. Arraignments are scheduled for Sept. 24, before Knox County Common Pleas Court Judge Otho Eyster.
According to Knox County Prosecutor John Thatcher, Taylor B. Smith, 21, Danville, faces an aggravated burglary charge for allegedly breaking into a house on Adamson Street in Mount Vernon and assaulting a 20-year-old male victim on July 18. Patrolman Justin Trowbridge, Mount Vernon Police Department, investigated the case.
Tyrone A. Caldwell, 31, Mount Vernon, allegedly assaulted his live-in girlfriend on Aug. 23. According to the indictment, the domestic violence charge is a third-degree felony due to Caldwell’s two previous domestic violence convictions. Patrolman Jeremiah Armstrong, MVPD, investigated the incident.
On Aug. 11, in the Knox County Jail, inmate Curtis W. Hull, 27, allegedly threatened and assaulted deputies Brandon Minot, Fred Michael and Bret Higgins. Hull is accused of intimidation, assault on peace officers and obstructing official business.
On Aug. 6, Aaron J. Kosier, 22, allegedly broke into a dormitory room at a local university. A student reported a laptop computer was missing from the dorm room. On Aug. 12, during an investigation of vehicle break-ins unrelated to the dorm room burglary investigation, officers of the MVPD executed a search warrant at a residence where Kosier was staying on South Center Street. Thatcher said the officers found the allegedly stolen laptop computer as well as two credit cards stolen from vehicles. Patrolman Kyle Theibert, MVPD, investigated the burglary and stolen computer charges. Detective David McElroy investigated the stolen credit charges. On April 7, Jordan C. Mullins, 22, Mount Vernon, sold a stolen camera, lenses and camera accessories at a pawn shop that he allegedly received from Kosier. Mullins was indicted in June, and now Kosier also faces a receiving stolen property charge. Detective David Light, Knox Count Sheriff’s Office, handled the stolen camera investigations.
Cindy M. Clements, 23, Mount Vernon, and Travis M. Culpepper, 28, Howard, both face burglary charges for allegedly breaking into a North Sandusky Street residence on June 23. Thatcher said the pair allegedly pawned a television set, CD player and PlayStation games stolen from the residence on July 14. Detective McElroy investigated the cases.
Darren J. Lang, 26, Mount Vernon, was indicted on charges of breaking and entering, tampering with coin machines, assault and vandalism for allegedly breaking into and damaging an apartment manager’s office on Aug. 30. Thatcher said Lang allegedly stole money from the office and broke into a coin machine in the laundry room. Lang also allegedly assaulted Detective Craig Feeney, MVPD, when Lang was arrested on the other charges.
Lourdes O. Phillips, 43, Mount Vernon, is accused of aggravated theft for allegedly stealing $194,000 from her former employer between Jan. 1, 2009, and Aug. 1. Thatcher said Phillips was the company accountant. Detective Light investigated the case.
On the morning of Aug. 26, Harry L. Davis (a.k.a. Kelly Davis), 51, Mount Vernon, allegedly brandished a knife over the counter at a convenience store while attempting to steal cigarettes. Davis is charged with aggravated robbery. Patrolman Travis Tharp, MVPD, handled the case.
Two Howard men, Jordan N. Jacobs, 19, and Christopher J. Matheson, 38, are accused of grand theft for allegedly stealing over $5,000 worth of oilfield drilling equipment and miscellaneous supplies on Sept. 3. Jacobs and Matheson loaded the allegedly stolen equipment and supplies into a van, then Jacobs drove away at a high rate of speed. Jacobs also faces a vehicular assault charge for allegedly running a stop sign and causing an injury accident at U.S. 36 and Gilchrist Road. Thatcher said the 60-year-old female driver of another vehicle was injured as a result of the crash. Deputy Tim Light investigated the theft case and Trooper Garrick Warner, Ohio State Highway Patrol, handled the injury crash investigation.
On July 12, brothers Charles M. Shannon, 33, and Joshua A. Shannon, 28, Mount Vernon, were caught at a local scrap yard trying to sell a steel dump truck bed extender valued in excess of $500. Thatcher said the truck bed extender was allegedly stolen from a township cemetery. Both men are accused of theft. Deputy James Ferenbaugh, KCSO, handled the case.
Two Heath residents were indicted on theft charges. On Aug. 16, Kenneth E. Rice Jr., 39, and Penny L. Sellers, 53, allegedly stole in excess of $500 worth of merchandise from four stores in Mount Vernon. Patrolman Andrew Burns, MVPD, investigated the cases.
On Aug. 6, Ronald E. Thomas Jr., 50, allegedly had sexual contact with a 9-year-old boy in the victim’s home. Thomas is charged with gross sexual imposition. Detective Sgt. Roger Brown, KCSO, investigated the case.
According to the indictment, Jamie L. Gibson, 42, was convicted of gross sexual imposition in 2004, and as a sex offender he most recently registered his residence address with the KCSO on Jan. 25. Thatcher said Gibson allegedly registered an address where he has never lived, however. The indictment also alleges that Gibson was convicted of a failure to register offense, in 2007, making the current charge a third-degree felony.
Joel E. Woods, 31, Mount Vernon, faces theft of drugs, aggravated possession of drugs and aggravated trafficking in drugs charges. Thatcher said on July 22, a Columbus Road resident reported that her boyfriend’s Percocet pills were missing. Patrolman Jeremiah Armstrong, MVPD, learned through investigation that Woods allegedly consumed four pills, and distributed 12 pills to two men in the neighborhood.
Robin L. Walker, 54, Butler, faces a charge of illegal processing of drug documents for allegedly passing a forged prescription for Vicodin at a Mount Vernon pharmacy on July 26. Armstrong investigated the case.
On the afternoon of Aug. 27, Lorie A. Martin, was sitting alone, yelling in the middle of a parking lot near the intersection of Danville-Jelloway and Wooster roads. Deputies Daniel Bobo and William Watson responded to the scene. Thatcher said when the deputies approached Martin she allegedly inhaled from a can of dust remover used to clean computers, and she tried to hide a baggie containing Xanax pills. Martin is charged with abusing harmful intoxicants and possession of drugs.