Highland County grand jury hands down 19 indictments; 3 charged with first-degree felonies
Three people charged with unrelated first-degree felony offenses were among the 19 indictments handed down by a Highland County grand jury in their Tuesday, Dec. 5 session.
In the first case, Cole Michael Chrisman, 30, of Washington Court House was charged with aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine, a first-degree felony; aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a first-degree felony; trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, a third-degree felony; and possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a third-degree felony.
The indictment alleges that on or about Nov. 8, Chrisman “did knowingly obtain, possess or use,” and “did knowingly prepare for shipment, ship, transport, deliver, prepare for distribution or distribute” meth “in an amount equal to or exceeding 50 times bulk amount but less than 100 times bulk amount” while “knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that the controlled substance was intended for sale or resale.” On the same date, he is accused of “knowingly obtaining, possessing or using,” and “knowingly preparing for shipment, shipping, transporting, delivering, preparing for distribution or distributing” a fentanyl-related compound “in an amount equal to or exceeding five grams but less than 10 grams.”
In an unrelated case, Joseph L. Jimison, 38, of New Vienna was charged with assault on a peace officer, a first-degree felony; and two counts of failure to comply with the order or signal of police officer, both third-degree felonies.
It is alleged that on or about Nov. 10, Jimison “did cause or attempt to cause physical harm” to an area peace officer, using a vehicle. On the same date, it is alleged that Jimison “did operate a motor vehicle … so as willfully to elude or flee a police officer after receiving a visible or audible signal to bring [his] motor vehicle to a stop.” His “operation of the motor vehicle” is alleged to have “caused a substantial risk of serious physical harm to persons or property.”
For the third separate first-degree felony indictment, Joseph D. Fricke Jr., 40, of Hillsboro was charged with failure of periodic verification of current address as a registered sex offender.
According to the indictment, Fricke was convicted of rape, a first-degree felony, in 2014 in Montgomery County and is classified as a tier III sex offender, requiring registration every 90 days for life. It is alleged that “beginning on or about Oct. 14, 2023 and continuing thereafter and in Highland County,” Fricke “failed to verify his address by written notice.”
In other indictments:
• Kevin D. Treadway, 50, of Leesburg was charged with felonious assault, a second-degree felony. He is accused of “knowingly causing serious physical harm” to a victim on or about Oct. 13.
• Ryan O. Coleman, 35, of Greenfield was charged with two counts of compelling prostitution, both third-degree felonies; disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a fifth-degree felony; attempted corrupting another with drugs, a fifth-degree felony; and trafficking in marijuana, a fifth-degree felony.
As previously reported, according to a report by the Greenfield Police Department, Coleman allegedly reached out to a teenager on social media in October, asking the juvenile to engage in sexual contact in exchange for marijuana.
The indictment accuses Coleman of “knowingly inducing, procuring, encouraging, soliciting, requesting or otherwise facilitating a minor to engage in sexual activity for hire, whether or not the offender knows the age of the minor.” It is alleged that he also “recklessly directly sold, delivered, furnished, disseminated, provided, exhibited, rented or presented … any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles.”
It is also alleged that Coleman “did knowingly sell or offer to sell” marijuana and that he “did purposely or knowingly … engage in conduct that, if successful, would constitute or result in a violation of … corrupting another with drugs, being marijuana.”
• Steven M. Willett, 56, of Greenfield was charged with illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility, a third-degree felony; possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony; and aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a third-degree felony.
It is alleged that on or about July 14, Willett “did knowingly obtain, possess or use” a fentanyl-related compound and that he “did knowingly convey, or attempt to convey,” said compound into the Greenfield Jail. He is charged separately with allegedly “knowingly obtaining, possessing or using” meth “in an amount equal to or exceeding bulk amount but less than five times bulk amount” on Aug. 25.
• Matthew S. Jackson, 35, of Greenfield was charged with having weapons while under disability and grand theft of a firearm, both third-degree felonies.
In October, it is alleged that Jackson “did knowingly obtain or exert control” over a 12-gauge shotgun without its owner’s consent. According to the indictment, Jackson is not “released from disability” due to prior drug possession convictions.
• Joshua A. Kern, 35, of Lynchburg was charged with abduction, a third-degree felony; strangulation, a fourth-degree felony; and domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor.
On or about Nov. 6, it is alleged that Kern “did, without privilege to do so, knowingly by force or threat, restrain the liberty” of a victim. It is alleged that he “did knowingly cause or attempt to cause physical harm” to the victim and “did knowingly cause or create a substantial risk of physical harm by means of strangulation or suffocation.”
• Travis Blevins, 41, of Hillsboro was charged with aggravated possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a third-degree felony. It is alleged that on or about March 16, Blevins “did knowingly obtain, possess or use” a fentanyl-related compound “in an amount equal to or exceeding five grams but less than 10 grams.”
• DeAnna Hargett, whose age and address were not listed, was charged with three counts of theft of drugs and three counts of illegal processing of drug documents, all fourth-degree felonies.
The theft charges allege that Hargett “did knowingly obtain or exert control over” hydrocodone pills from three separate victims during a time frame from July 2022-January 2023. During that time period, she is also accused of “knowingly making a false statement in a prescription, order, report or record” regarding hydrocodone in three separate charges.
• Daniel Brewer, 50, of Wilmington was indicted on five charges, including three counts of grand theft of a motor vehicle, all fourth-degree felonies; breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony; and theft, a first-degree misdemeanor.
The indictment alleges that on or about Aug. 2, Brewer “did by force, stealth or deception knowingly trespass in a barn and lean-to, an unoccupied structure, with purpose to commit therein a theft offense.” The three grand theft charges are for three separate vehicles — all motorcycles — which Brewer is alleged to have “knowingly obtained or exerted control over.” He is separately charged with theft for allegedly “knowingly obtaining or exerting control over” a 4-wheeler.
• Lamont Rickman, 47, and Trinity Rickman, 22, both of Greenfield, were charged in a joint indictment. Lamont Rickman was charged with trafficking in cocaine, a fourth-degree felony; possession of cocaine, a fourth-degree felony; trafficking in drugs, a fifth-degree felony; and possession of drugs, a first-degree misdemeanor. Trinity Rickman was charged with possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree misdemeanor.
As previously reported by the Village of Greenfield, the Greenfield Police Department initiated a traffic stop on Lamont Rickman’s vehicle on the night of Oct. 10. It was found that while in the car, Rickman had allegedly been sitting on a pill bottle, which also had his name on it. Included in the bottle’s contents was a bulk amount of what field-tested positive to be cocaine. A search warrant was obtained and executed at Rickman’s residence, where more drugs, which included miscellaneous pills, were allegedly recovered. Trinity Rickman was at the residence when police performed the search warrant and was allegedly found to be in possession of drugs.
The indictment alleges that Lamont Rickman “did knowingly obtain, possess or use,” and “did knowingly prepare for shipment, ship, transport, deliver, prepare for distribution or distribute cocaine … in an amount equal to or exceeding five grams but less than 10 grams” while “knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that the controlled substance was intended for sale or resale.” He is also charged with “knowingly obtaining, possessing or using,” and “knowingly preparing for shipment, shipping, transporting, delivering, preparing for distribution or distributing” buprenorphine/naloxone.
• Derek Lane, 36, of Hillsboro was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony; receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony; and forgery, a fifth-degree felony.
It is alleged that on or about Oct. 9, Lane “did … knowingly obtain or exert control over” a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent. On the same date, he is accused of “receiving, retaining or disposing of” a separate vehicle, a pickup truck, while “knowing or having reasonable cause to believe said property had been obtained through the commission of a theft offense. Lane is further accused of forging a car title on the same day.
• Samuel Holaday, 28, of Sinking Spring was charged with failure to appear, a fourth-degree felony, in connection with a separate meth possession case.
• Russell E. Dunn, 53, of Hillsboro was charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony.
• Lindsey R. Hornsby, 29, of Waverly was charged with possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony.
• Dominic Weseloh, 24, of Joliet, Ill. was charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony.
In addition to the 18 indictments listed above, there was one sealed indictment, according to Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins.
An indictment is merely a charge and is not evidence of guilt.