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STEUBENVILLE -- A Mingo Junction woman who allegedly told authorities she'd snorted a line of cocaine off a cell phone that she later gave her toddler to play with was ordered to stand trial Wednesday for involuntary manslaughter.
Danielle Lynn Bentley, 27, was one of 12 people indicted by the April term of the Jefferson County grand jury, a list that includes a 36-year-old man who allegedly had sex with a juvenile, two firefighters who allegedly embezzled thousands from their department and a Wintersville man accused of raping and beating a woman.
Bentley had called 9-1-1 on Feb. 18 to report her 2 ½-year-old baby was choking. The child was rushed to the hospital, where medical personnel reported finding cocaine in the baby's system.
Authorities allege Bentley subsequently admitted she'd snorted cocaine off her phone that day and later, at Wal-Mart, handed it to the baby.
The three-count felony indictment alleges Bentley caused her child's death. In addition to the involuntary manslaughter charge, she faces two counts of endangering children.
Indicted on three counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a girl under the age of 16 was Stephen T. Kovach, 3129 Wilson Ave., Mingo Junction.
Authorities allege Kovach, 36, was originally caught climbing out of the bedroom window of the girl, more than 20 years his junior, on Nov. 21.
The three-count felony indictment charges he also had improper sexual contact with the child on Nov. 23 and again on Nov. 30.
Grand jurors returned a felony rape charge against Adam Shawn Gallagher, 512 Canton Road, Wintersville. The indictment alleges Gallagher, 29, forced a woman to have sex with him Feb. 9. Gallagher also faces a misdemeanor count of domestic violence.
Also indicted:
• Former East Springfield Fire Department officials John Andrew-Scott Dunkle, 48, 9628 county Road 53, Bergholz, and Steve Brian Harris, 50, 192 township Road 240, Toronto, face felony grand theft charges.
Authorities allege the pair, indicted separately, embezzled nearly $30,000 from the fire department during a two-year period beginning in January 2019.
• David Charles Holloway, 129 Reichart Ave., Apt. 1, Steubenville, failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, a felony.
Holloway, 21, allegedly led police on a high-speed chase after officers tried to pull him over Dec. 19. Authorities allege his vehicle reached speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour through Wintersville and Steubenville's Lovers Lane.
• Paul Daniel O'Brien, 49, 5566 state Route 152, Dillonvale, operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, drugs or a combination of the two. The felony indictment alleges O'Brien was driving drunk on Feb. 17, and notes he had prior convictions -- in 2015 and 2017 -- in Jefferson County Common Pleas Court.
Authorities allege O'Brien, 49, had almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in his system when he was pulled over.
• Jenna Jashawn Brown, 28, 805 Market St., Apt. D, Steubenville, possession of cocaine and aggravated possession of methamphetamine, both felonies.
Brown was taken into custody after the Jefferson County Drug Task Force searched her Market Street residence Jan. 12. Detectives had reported seizing methamphetamine from the residence along with more than 10 grams of cocaine they found in an Ohio State University mug.
A co-defendant, Charles C. Dickey, 33, 627 N. Fifth St., recently pleaded guilty to a bill of information charging him with having a weapon under disability and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, with credit for time served.
• Curtis Duran Drakes, 43, 106 Talbott Drive, Wintersville, possession of cocaine and trafficking cocaine, and Jessica Jo Layman, 45, also of 106 Talbott Drive, possession of cocaine. Prosecutors are also seeking forfeiture of $250 in cash believed to be drug proceeds.
• Tina Zook, 305 Springdale Ave., Wintersville, grand theft, a felony.
Zook, 57, allegedly fraudulently obtained more than $18,382 in Social Security benefits between Dec. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2023.
• Brandon Jones, 38, 3512sState Route 151, Mingo Junction, misdemeanor assault. Jones allegedly assaulted a woman Feb. 20.