Grand jury indicts on drug, pornography and escape charges
The May session of the Holmes County grand jury handed down indictments for drug trafficking, drug possession, escape and pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor.
Jerry L. Wenger, 55, of 106 E. Main St., Holmesville, pleaded not guilty Thursday, May 26 in Holmes County Common Pleas Court to two counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor. The charges stem from Sept. 2, 2009, when Wenger allegedly downloaded and saved pornography involving minors from the Internet. According to Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Sean Warner, Wenger’s activity was discovered by Holmes County sheriff’s deputies investigating an unrelated matter. The pornography was found on Wenger’s computer after it was processed by Ohio Bureau of Investigation and Identification agents, Warner said.
The charges are second-degree felonies and each carry up to eight years in prison.
Joshua J. Blake, 21, of 8105 Township Road 574, Holmesville, pleaded not guilty Thursday to escape. The charge stems from April 25, when Blake was incarcerated on misdemeanor charges at the Holmes County Jail. According to Prosecuting Attorney Steve Knowling, Blake had obtained approval for temporary release from the jail and failed to return as scheduled. Blake turned himself in later, Knowling said.
The charge is a fifth-degree felony and carries up to 12 months in prison.
Juanita M. Miller, 54, of 32750 Township Road 130, Killbuck, pleaded not guilty Thursday to aggravated possession of morphine. The charge stems from Feb. 26, when Miller was stopped for a traffic violation. Knowling said Miller was found to be in possession of morphine and did not have a prescription for it.
The charge is a fifth-degree misdemeanor and carries up to 12 months in prison.
Phillip A. Farley, 32, and Angela R. Smith, 33, both of 3317 Township Road 629, Loudonville, were charged in a five-count joint indictment for allegedly making two drug sales and illegal possession of prescription drugs. According to Knowling, Farley sold marijuana for $300 April 8 to a confidential informant working with the Holmes County Sheriff’s drug enforcement unit. He sold cocaine for $400 to the informant April 11, and a traffic stop was made the same day by deputies to recover the buy money, Knowling said. In the course of the stop, Farley was found to be in possession of diazepam, a drug with effects similar to valium.
Smith was the driver in the April 11 sale. The two drug sales were made in the vicinity of a school.
Farley is charged with trafficking in marijuana within the vicinity of a school, trafficking in cocaine within the vicinity of a school, trafficking in marijuana and possession of a schedule IV substance. He faces up to eight years in prison on the most serious charge.
Smith is charged with permitting drug abuse, a fifth-degree felony carrying up to 12 months in prison. Farley and Smith both pleaded not guilty Thursday to the charges.
Jerry L. Wenger, 55, of 106 E. Main St., Holmesville, pleaded not guilty Thursday, May 26 in Holmes County Common Pleas Court to two counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor. The charges stem from Sept. 2, 2009, when Wenger allegedly downloaded and saved pornography involving minors from the Internet. According to Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Sean Warner, Wenger’s activity was discovered by Holmes County sheriff’s deputies investigating an unrelated matter. The pornography was found on Wenger’s computer after it was processed by Ohio Bureau of Investigation and Identification agents, Warner said.
The charges are second-degree felonies and each carry up to eight years in prison.
Joshua J. Blake, 21, of 8105 Township Road 574, Holmesville, pleaded not guilty Thursday to escape. The charge stems from April 25, when Blake was incarcerated on misdemeanor charges at the Holmes County Jail. According to Prosecuting Attorney Steve Knowling, Blake had obtained approval for temporary release from the jail and failed to return as scheduled. Blake turned himself in later, Knowling said.
The charge is a fifth-degree felony and carries up to 12 months in prison.
Juanita M. Miller, 54, of 32750 Township Road 130, Killbuck, pleaded not guilty Thursday to aggravated possession of morphine. The charge stems from Feb. 26, when Miller was stopped for a traffic violation. Knowling said Miller was found to be in possession of morphine and did not have a prescription for it.
The charge is a fifth-degree misdemeanor and carries up to 12 months in prison.
Phillip A. Farley, 32, and Angela R. Smith, 33, both of 3317 Township Road 629, Loudonville, were charged in a five-count joint indictment for allegedly making two drug sales and illegal possession of prescription drugs. According to Knowling, Farley sold marijuana for $300 April 8 to a confidential informant working with the Holmes County Sheriff’s drug enforcement unit. He sold cocaine for $400 to the informant April 11, and a traffic stop was made the same day by deputies to recover the buy money, Knowling said. In the course of the stop, Farley was found to be in possession of diazepam, a drug with effects similar to valium.
Smith was the driver in the April 11 sale. The two drug sales were made in the vicinity of a school.
Farley is charged with trafficking in marijuana within the vicinity of a school, trafficking in cocaine within the vicinity of a school, trafficking in marijuana and possession of a schedule IV substance. He faces up to eight years in prison on the most serious charge.
Smith is charged with permitting drug abuse, a fifth-degree felony carrying up to 12 months in prison. Farley and Smith both pleaded not guilty Thursday to the charges.
Published: May 27, 2011
