Wood County Commission OKs grant efforts for new prosecutor

PARKERSBURG -- The Wood County Commission approved an application for a grant, if approved, that would help pay for an additional prosecutor who would specifically handle child abuse cases.

Wood County Grant Coordinator Toni Tiano and Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure appeared before the commission on Monday to discuss the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant application for $28,000.

"We are specifically asking for this for a prosecutor for child abuse, sexual abuse cases and sexual assault cases," Lefebure said. "They are very important cases and very difficult cases.

"They typically take more investigation and more time and effort needs to be put in those."

One of the key aspects of the position is the relationship between the prosecutor and the victim. Especially with child victims, the earlier they can build the relationship the more secure the child will be which will benefit the case.

"The goal is to have a continuous prosecutor that starts with the case from the initial reporting ... and handle that case from the very onset and all the way through," Lefebure said.

Commissioner Jimmy Colombo asked if other counties had such prosecutors in place.

There were in some of the larger jurisdictions around the state with dedicated prosecutors for this work, Lefebure said, adding he compared them to how people see what happens the Law and Order: Special Victims Unit TV show.

"It would be a benefit for us," he said.

Colombo knows of a similar program in Kanawha County.

"It is a wonderful program," he said.

The recent session of the Wood County Grand Jury that occurred last week had 75 people indicted with 23 of those involving child abuse and/or sexual assault cases.

"(Victim advocates) want involvement from the beginning," Lefebure said. "They want prosecutors and law-enforcement to be there when the children are being interviewed."

Currently, they have a manpower issue that makes it difficult to do, he said. The new prosecutor would be in addition to the two victim advocates the office already employs.

The commission unanimously approved the grant application.

The grant alone would not be able to cover the cost of the prosecutor and Lefebure said he is going to look at other possible funding sources to help pay for the position and he would also seek additional funding from the commission.

"It will take more than what the VOCA grant can provide," he said.

The commission also unanimously approved another VOCA grant application to continue the School Resource Officer's position at Blennerhassett Middle School. That grant would also provide $28,000 in funding and the Wood County Sheriff's Office would pay for the rest of it, Tiano said.

"(The deputy) is in his seventh year out there," she said.

In other business:

* The commission approved a Governor's Warrant for Joshua S. Williams. The case involves drugs and the individual is in Washington County, Ohio, and apparently does not want to return to Wood County.

* The commission put Patrick Ward in nomination for reappointment to the Wood County Alternative Transportation System Council.

* The commission re-appointed Bernard Cothern to the Mineral Wells Public Service District.

* The commission approved a request to hire Shayden Gault as an intern for the Sheriff's Tax Office.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com