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Man indicted for burglary, assault at neighbor’s home

Luthern

A New Matamoras man charged with aggravated burglary and assault was one of 25 indictments handed down by a Washington County grand jury this month.

Michael C. Luthern, 57, of 101 Evans St., New Matamoras, allegedly entered the home of his neighbor Donald Hendershot on March 8 and began punching Hendershot in the head while Hendershot was sitting on a couch.

Officials said when Hendershot tried to get away from Luthern and obtain a weapon from his bedroom to defend himself, Luthern also tore off Hendershot’s shirt.

“We received a call from the apartment complex they both live in in Grandview Township,” said Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks. “The victim said he thinks Luthern attacked him because he thought (Hendershot) had shot his cat six months ago and that (Luthern) had been heavily drinking.”

Luthern faces one count of aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony and one count of assault, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Also indicted was Steven Thomas Hupp, 46, of 108 Seneca Drive, Marietta, for illegal manufacture of drugs, a second-degree felony, and illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs, a third-degree felony.

“Hupp was arrested as a result of an investigation by the major crimes task force after we received numerous calls of suspected drug trafficking activity at his home,” said Mincks. “Then as a result of our surveillance and the use of an undercover operative inside the house we placed him under arrest. He has a very extensive record with narcotics.”

Other indictments:

¯ Trixie J. Severs, 45, of 1006 29th St., Parkersburg, for illegal conveyance of prohibited items onto grounds of a detention facility or institution, a third-degree felony, and for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. Severs allegedly brought methamphetamine into the Washington County Jail when she was booked on Sept. 30.

¯ Jarred S. Clawson, 19, of 19 Christy Road, Fleming, for two counts of trafficking in drugs, both third-degree felonies, and improperly handing a firearm in a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony. Clawson allegedly trafficked in oxycodone and acetomenaphin on Aug. 15 and Sept. 6.

¯ Joshua A. Beaver, 37, of 202 Duncan Drive, New Matamoras, for domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony, and assault, a first-degree misdemeanor. Beaver allegedly dragged Patricia West back into his house multiple times and refused to return her children’s belongings on Feb. 8 when she ended their relationship.

¯ Ted Jackson Nutter, 42, of 341 Tadpole Run Road, Belpre, for trespassing in a habitation when a person is present or likely to be present, a fourth-degree felony, and theft, a first-degree misdemeanor. Nutter allegedly trespassed into two homes, 702 Second St. and 401 Matthew St. in Marietta on March 4.

¯ Donald V. Murray, Jr., 46, of 3790 Belks Run Road, Newport, for illegal cultivation of marijuana, a fifth-degree felony. Murray was arrested Feb. 28 for growing marijuana in his home.

¯ Ronald W. Gilbert, 52, of 920 Quarry St., Marietta, for domestic violence, a third-degree felony. Gilbert allegedly hit Polly Price in the face on Jan. 20 and told her he would burn down their house with her in it.

¯ Thomas A. Statkiewicz, 33, of 353 Lake Road, Belpre, for disorderly conduct, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, carrying a concealed weapon, a first-degree misdemeanor, and resisting arrest, a fourth-degree felony. Statkiewicz was allegedly intoxicated in the road in Marietta on Feb. 15, and when a Marietta police officer tried to arrest him, pulled a knife on the officer.

¯ Chad Wayne Williams, 35, of 4492 Anderson Road, Fleming, for two fifth-degree felony counts of violating a protection order from Jessica Offenberger on Feb. 5 in Lowell.

¯ Anthony L. Hanes, 40, of 2901 Wells Road, Waterford, for causing harm to a companion animal, a fifth-degree felony and Michaella J. Webster, 22, of 185 Main St., Waterford, for causing harm to a companion animal, a fifth-degree felony. On Feb. 3 landlords of 571 Swift Road, Waterford, where Webster and Hanes were living at the time, observed through the garage window an emaciated puppy, with what appeared to be ribs, back bone and hip bones protruding, as well as feces covering the floor. Hanes allegedly gave the landlords possession of the dog at that time, at their request. Webster allegedly admitted she did not feed, water or even check on the dog for approximately two weeks. Hanes told officials that he fed and watered the dog every evening.

¯ Glenn R. Johnson, 30, of 116 Harmar St., Marietta, for tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony, and resisting arrest, a second-degree misdemeanor. Johnson allegedly tried to get rid of evidence of drugs when officers tried to arrest him on outstanding warrants on March 4.

¯ Elisha Ceylon Cross, 39, of 700 Barclay St., Belpre, for burglary, a third-degree felony. Cross was identified as the suspect that burglarized the Belpre home of Larry Naylor on May 26. Officials reportedly found blood at the scene of the crime and linked that evidence to Cross.

¯ Tamika C. Rake, 29, of 1002 Washington Blvd., Belpre, for forgery, a fifth-degree felony. Rake allegedly forged checks belonging to her brother’s girlfriend while the girlfriend was in jail in August of 2014.

¯ Devan W. Anderson, 26, of 4450 Barnett Ridge Road, Fleming, for receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony. Anderson allegedly was found in possession of $8,250 work of stolen tools in Warren Township in August of 2016.

¯ Kelly N. Lambert , 23, of 1071 Terrace Court, Zanesville, for escape, a third-degree felony. While under supervised release detention, Lambert did not return to jail. He was initially sentenced to jail for trafficking in drugs.

¯ Angela S. Nutter, 38, of 4357 Laurel Creek Road, Waverly, W.Va., for failure to appear, a fourth-degree felony. Nutter failed to appear for a scheduled jury trial for an original indictment for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, and possessing drug abuse instruments, a second-degree misdemeanor. Nutter was stopped on March 31 by Ohio Highway Patrol on Ohio 7 near mile post 25 for speeding. Nutter allegedly appeared to be under the influence of drugs and a drug-sniffing dog found a syringe with 0.178 grams of liquid methamphetamine in it.

¯ Co-defendants Heather S. Simms, 23, of 1932 Hamilton St., Parkersburg, for burglary, a second-degree felony, and for theft, a fifth-degree felony and Michael P. Hollingsworth, 37, of 600 Phillips St., Belpre, for burglary, a second-degree felony, theft, a fifth-degree felony, receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony, and receiving stolen property, a fifth-degree felony. Simms and Hollingsworth allegedly burglarized the home of Tom Voisinet in Muskingum Township while Voisinet was in jail in October. The pair allegedly stole a television and leather furniture and other small items.

¯ Co-defendants Mary B. Terzopplous, 31, of 453 Sunset Drive, Ravenswood, W.Va., for possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony, and carrying a concealed weapon, a fourth-degree felony, and Kenneth Eugene Casto, 33, of 2141 Flatwoods Road, Ravenswood, W.Va., for possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony, carrying concealed weapons, a fourth-degree felony, illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility, a third-degree felony. The pair were allegedly pulled over on I-77 and found to have drugs on them. Officers also found on Terzopplous a concealed .45 caliber handgun which Terzopplous allegedly told the officer was Casto’s and that she had taken it to prevent Casto from returning to prison.

¯ Co-defendants Felicia Dawn Wallace, 26, of 1360 Silver Globe Road, Marietta, for possession of heroin, a fifth-degree felony, Cynthia Mae Wallace, 53, of 105 Leland Ave., Lowell, for possession of heroin, a fifth-degree felony, and Eugene Robert Offenberger, 62, of 106 Plum St., Marietta, for possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony. The three were all arrested at Offenberger’s home by the major crimes task force upon execution of a warrant on Feb. 16.

Possible penalties

¯ First-degree felony: three to 10 years in prison, up to $20,000 fine.

¯ Second-degree felony: two to eight years in prison, up to $15,000 fine.

¯ Third-degree felony: one to five years in prison, up to $10,000 fine.

¯ Fourth-degree felony: six to 18 months in prison, up to $5,000 fine.

¯ Fifth-degree felony: six to 12 months in prison, up to $2,500 fine.

Source: Ohio Revised Code.

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