Brooke County grand jury returns indictments
WELLSBURG — A local man has been indicted for murder following an investigation by the Brooke County Sheriff’s Department of a 47-year-old cold case.
On Tuesday, the Brooke County grand jury returned the murder indictment against James Edward Adams Sr., who was identified as an inmate at the Northern Regional Jail and whose age wasn’t available.
Brooke County Sheriff Rich Beatty, who was called for comment, confirmed the indictment was the result of his department’s investigation of a cold case after new information materialized last fall.
Beatty said other details will be released at a later date.
The indictment against Adams was one of 34 returned by the grand jury on Monday and Tuesday.
Also indicted was Timothy Iverson, 43, of 286 Rose St., Follansbee, on multiple counts of sexual abuse of a child in his care and third-degree sexual assault.
Dakota Taylor, 29, address unknown, was indicted for malicious assault for allegedly striking a man repeatedly in the face.
Cynthia Parr, 35, address also unknown, was indicted for aiding and abetting Taylor by restraining the victim.
Kevin Jackson, 32, of Wheeling, was indicted on charges of malicious assault and strangulation in addition to charges of kidnapping, wanton endangerment involving a firearm and domestic battery that were refiled against him by the Brooke County Prosecutor’s Office.
The charges stem from a Sept. 23, 2023, incident in which Jackson allegedly held a woman known to him against her will by threatening her with a shotgun, including placing its barrel in her mouth; struck her multiple times with his hands and attempted to strangle her, causing her to lose consciousness.
Joseph Payne, 34, of 688 Main St., Smithfield, was indicted for threats of terroristic acts.
According to police reports, Payne was instructed to leave a local restaurant after he threatened to shoot everyone there because the price for his order didn’t match the one on the menu.
Also indicted were:
• Katherine Allenby, 49, 10 Clendenin Ave., Wellsburg, financial abuse of a protected person.
• Daniel L. Bocek, 32, Apartment 2, Rear 2810 Weir Ave., Weirton, driving while license revoked for driving under the influence.
• Tyreese J. Collins, 33, 609 Trenton St., Toronto, third-offense driving under the influence.
• Brian P. Craciun, 50, Youngstown, fraud using an access device, forgery, uttering and taking the identity of another for allegedly attempting to use a fake passport with his photo and the name and birthdate of another person to obtain $5,000 from a local bank.
• Brandon Dunn, 40, 206 Oakwood St., Chester, fraud using an access device.
• Lester Gajtka, 51, Apartment 1, 155 Garfield Way, Follansbee, obtaining by false pretenses, for allegedly providing false information to obtain unemployment benefits.
• Brandy J. Gibbs, 42, 373 Summit Ave., Steubenville, delivering a controlled substance.
• Ashley J. Guiler, 42, 116 Beverly Ave., Weirton, and Lawrence Reagan, 39, 73 Serenity Drive, Colliers, both for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and conspiring to do so.
• George E. Johnson Jr., 25, 53 Gullette Lane, Weirton, delivering a controlled substance, three counts of delivering controlled substances and four counts of wanton endangerment with a firearm.
The latter stem from a Nov. 6 incident in which Johnson allegedly attempted to strike an individual at a video lottery casino in the head with the butt of a handgun, resulting in an altercation that presented a risk to four people.
• Ian Kolman, 29, 305 Wayne Ave., Weirton, fleeing an officer with reckless indifference to others’ safety.
• Herbert Lashorn, 49, 1312 Overlook Drive, Weirton, failure to register as a sex offender.
• Charles Latimer, 38, 359 Liberty Ave., Weirton, possession of a stolen vehicle.
• Samuel M. Lewis, 23, no fixed address, failure to register as a sex offender.
• Luke Martin, 32, Moundsville, fleeing an officer with reckless indifference.
• David P. Miller Jr., 48, Wheeling, failure to register as a sex offender for allegedly failing to report changes in his phone number, e-mail address, employment and other personal information.
• Gina Owings, 48, 47 Dominic Drive, Weirton, illegal entry to a building, third-offense shoplifting and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
• Brian Peterson, 48, 201 Walter Ave., Follansbee, failure to register as a sex offender.
• William Scott, 51, 210 Wildflower Way, Follansbee, fraudulent scheme and seven counts of insurance fraud, for allegedly perpetrating a series of fraudulent damaged vehicle claims.
• Kayla Six, 30, 3530 Orchard St., Weirton, two counts of fraud using an access device.
• Sean M. Spence, 28, 717 Loretta Ave., Toronto, attempt to solicit a minor for sex using a computer.
• Frank Stewart Jr., 55, Short Creek, reckless fleeing.
• William K. Swager, 57, 44 Buffalo Road, Wellsburg, emebezzlement, grand larceny and illegal entry, for allegedly stealing $3,500 from his employer.
• Sarah Thompson, 25, and Timothy Morris, 29, both of 245 Elmer Ave., Weirton, were each indicted for possession of a controlled substance and conspiring to do so.
• Christian Tredway, 40, 1489 Northview Road, Wellsburg, burglary, battery and domestic battery, for allegedly forcing her way into a home and striking two people known to her.
• Joshua Webster, 41, of 2513 McCord Hill Road, Wellsburg, for being a person prohibited from possessing a firearm and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.
• John Yoders, 45, 642 Grand Ave., Steubenville, burglary.