MOUNT VERNON — Twelve indictments were handed down by the Knox County grand jury on Monday. Arraignments are scheduled for July 29 at 9 a.m., before Common Pleas Court Judge Otho Eyster.
According to Knox County Prosecutor John Thatcher, Dennis E. Lamp, 32, is accused of rape, sexual battery, gross sexual imposition and unlawful sexual conduct with minors for allegedly engaging in sexual conduct with a 15-year-old girl on June 7, and a 10-year-old girl on June 8.
Lamp also faces charges for allegedly sexually abusing the girls several times last summer when they were 14 and 9 years old. According to the indictment, the 15-year-old alleged victim’s unlawful sexual conduct charges are enhanced to second-degree felonies because Lamp was convicted of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in Licking County in 2003. Thatcher said Lamp could receive a life sentence for the 10-year-old alleged victim’s rape charge.
Victor A. Neighbarger, 19, Howard, and Steven M. Thompson, 19, Mount Vernon, are accused of engaging in sexual conduct with a 14-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl between April 30 and May 2. Neighbarger is also charged with corrupting another with drugs and trafficking in marijuana for allegedly giving the girls marijuana. Thatcher said the two girls were reported missing from their home from April 30 until May 7.
Detective Tom Bumpus, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the Lamp, Neighbarger and Thompson cases.
Levi M. Shoman, 22, is accused of engaging in sexual conduct with a 14-year-old girl on several occasions between July 11, 2010, and Feb. 1. Deputy James Ferenbaugh, KCSO, investigated the case.
On June 24, Stephen M. Follett, 53, Mount Vernon, allegedly enticed a 6-year-old boy into his home by promising to give the boy brownies. Thatcher said the boy’s mother did not give Follett permission to have the child in his home and she told Follett he was never to have contact with her son in February. According to the indictment, the criminal child enticement charge is a fifth-degree felony because Follett was convicted of gross sexual imposition with an underage victim in the Knox County Court of Common Pleas in 2001. Detective David McElroy, Mount Vernon Police Department, investigated the case.
Robert Lee Johnson, 37, Howard, must register his address with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office every year due to an attempted rape conviction in the Knox County Court of Common Pleas in 1994. Johnson is accused of failure to provide change of address notification to the sheriff’s office on or about May 13. According to the indictment, the offense is a felony of the second degree because Johnson was convicted of failure to provide change of address notification, in 2007 Thatcher said the offense carries a possible prison sentence of two to eight years.
Jose L. Hernandez, 34, Danville, faces felonious assault charges and charges of kidnapping, and domestic violence for allegedly beating up his wife and causing her serious physical harm on June 26 at about 3:00 a.m. For the next 12 hours, Hernandez allegedly restrained his wife in the residence by hiding her car keys and turning away her family members who came to the home to check on her welfare. Hernandez also faces a disrupting public services charge for allegedly breaking Mrs. Hernandez’s cell phone to prevent her calling the police. Thatcher said the offenses include gun specifications carrying mandatory prison time because Hernandez allegedly had a .22 caliber pistol at the time of the alleged assault. Ferenbaugh investigated the case.
According to the indictment, Robert E. Smith, 24, Fredericktown, was convicted of domestic violence in the Mount Vernon Municipal Court on Jan. 4, 2010. Smith allegedly assaulted his live-in girlfriend on June 23. Thatcher said the prior conviction makes the current charge a felony. Deputy Tim Light, KCSO, investigated the case.
Jeffrey L. Henry, 28, Mount Vernon, is accused of aggravated robbery for allegedly robbing a Mount Vernon gas station on June 27. Thatcher said Henry allegedly brandished a knife during the robbery and then stole $328. The case was investigated by Detective Sgt. Jeff Jacobs, MVPD.
Patrick D. Yoder, 22, Gambier, was indicted on breaking and entering, theft and receiving stolen property charges for allegedly breaking into a locked unit at a Mount Vernon storage facility on June 18 at about 3:30 a.m. Trooper Arizona Favours, Ohio State Highway Patrol, caught Yoder immediately after he drove away from the storage facility because he neglected to turn on his headlights. Thatcher said the value of the allegedly stolen property exceeds $900. After Yoder was arrested he allegedly made over a dozen telephone calls on a cell phone he found in the patrol car. Yoder is charged with unauthorized use of telecommunication property for using the cell phone without permission.
Danielle M. Crandell, 37, Mount Vernon, was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, a drug, or both during a traffic stop on June 18 at about 2:00 a.m. Thatcher said Sgt. James Burkhart, OHSP, allegedly found a loaded handgun in a purse under the front passenger seat where Crandell was sitting. Crandell is accused of improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle.
On May 4, Cpl. Beth Marti, MVPD, arrested Tonia A. Cook, 36, Mount Vernon, on an outstanding warrant. On the way to the Knox County Jail, Cook allegedly admitted to Marti that she had drug paraphernalia on her, including two syringes. The liquid in the syringes allegedly contains heroin. Cook faces a possession of heroin charge.
