Dornon

Nathaniel Blayn Becker, who barricaded himself in a Devola residence in early February, was one of two dozen people recently indicted by a Washington County grand jury.

Becker, 40, of 312 Lawton Road, Devola, was indicted on four charges, including aggravated menacing and inducing panic. He was charged in two cases.

The first case was on Feb. 3 and ended in a standoff with local law enforcement. He was indicted on one count of failure to comply with an order or signal of police officer, a third-degree felony; one count of aggravated menacing, a first-degree misdemeanor; and one count of inducing panic, a first-degree misdemeanor.

The indictment stems from an event which started around 9 a.m. Feb. 3 when a detective with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office pulled Becker over for running a red light on Muskingum Drive. The detective reported that as he was preparing to leave his patrol car, Becker came out of the Jeep with a buck knife in one hand and a screwdriver in the other hand, walking aggressively toward him. He then allegedly stopped at the front of the patrol car, screaming for Roe to shoot him. He then turned, ran back to his vehicle, and fled the area, to 312 Lawton Road, where Becker locked himself inside.

Massey

The hostage negotiator from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office addressed Becker in an attempt to to get him to leave the home. During the hostage negotiations, the 300 block of Lawton Road was closed as deputies from the sheriff’s office and the Special Response Team monitored the situation.

Around 11:30 a.m. officers used a wooden baton to break the glass out of a door and soon after, a loud bang was heard as an explosive device was used to open the door. Shortly after, Becker exited the home.

The second case was for an attempted burglary, a third-degree felony. The indictment stemmed from an arrest on Oct. 9 at 1726 Highland Ridge Road, Muskingum Township, where a sergeant from the sheriff’s department reportedly responded to a call about a suspicious man on video. The man attempted to enter the Highland Ridge Road home by pushing open the locked front door.

When confronted, the man identified himself as ‘Nathan’ and that he was there to look at the house, as he heard it was for sale. When questioned by deputies, Becker was wearing the same clothes as in the video.

His pre-trial is set for March 27, his final pre-trial is April 30 and his trial is set for May 12, said Washington County Prosecutor Nicole Coil.

Becker

“He has a $100,000 bond and is still in jail,” she added.

Also indicted were two men who were arrested in late February for allegedly threatening a St. Marys High School administrator with physical violence.

Owen M. Dornon, 19, of 278 Ridgewood Court Apt. A, Marietta, and Nicholas R. Massey, 20, of 290 Ridgewood Court #G, Marietta, were each indicted on one count of inciting to violence, a third-degree felony, and one count of aggravated menacing, a first-degree misdemeanor.

According to police reports, officers responded to Dornon’s apartment in regard to an internet chat group about the high school. Dornon previously attended the high school and the threat was allegedly made toward an administrator.

Someone alerted the authorities after hearing of the threats.

Coil said there were also charges for Dornon in West Virginia.

“He was set to pay his municipal court bond when the warrant came in from West Virginia,” she said. “That stopped everything.”

She added that Dornon had filed for incompetency to stand trial, as well as not guilty by reason of insanity.

“Dornon’s arraignment and motions for suggestion of incompetence and NGRI will be heard on Thursday,” Coil explained, adding that Dornon and Massey are still both in custody.

Other indictments include:

• Christian A. Preston, 38, of 877 Dodd Run Road, Marietta, was indicted on three charges, including one count of assault, a fourth-degree felony; one count of resisting arrest, a second-degree misdemeanor; and one count of disorderly conduct, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. The indictments stem from an incident on Jan. 30 at 111 Sunset Lane, Marietta. Marietta police reports state officers were dispatched to the location in reference to an intoxicated man who was out of control. Preston also allegedly assaulted Marietta Patrolman T.D. Benson.

• Josey C. Barton, 28, last known address of 111 West Montgomery St., Marietta, was indicted on seven charges, including one count of theft of $45.95 in goods from the Marietta Kroger store, a first-degree misdemeanor; and one count of forgery on a checking account belonging to Katheryn E. Grimm and Jon J. Grimm, a fifth-degree felony.

Her indictments include one count of receiving stolen property, including a wallet, cash and miscellaneous identification cards owned by Michael Hinton, a first-degree misdemeanor; one count of receiving stolen property, including two Kohl’s gift cards owned by Melissa Duff, a first-degree misdemeanor; one count of receiving stolen property of blank checks belonging to Kathryn E. Grimm and Jon J. Grimm, a fifth-degree felony; one count or receiving stolen property of a Visa card belonging to Trystan S. Taylor, a fifth-degree felony; and one count of receiving stolen property, a Visa debit card owned by Hannah Thomas, a fifth degree felony.

The indictments stem from an arrest after an incident in September 2019 at the Kroger store, 40 Acme St., Marietta.

• Matthew T. Steele, 28, last known address 703 Sixth St., Marietta, was indicted on five charges, including one count of possession of .38 grams of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony; one count of drug paraphernalia, including two glass smoking pipes, digital scales, green glass smoking device, and a baggie of suspected methamphetamine, a fourth-degree misdemeanor; one count of possession of 2.06 grams of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony; one count of drug paraphernalia, a green glass smoking pipe, a fourth-degree misdemeanor; and one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle, a 1994 Cadillac DeVille belonging to Rhiannon Lance, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Counts 1, 2 and 5 are the result of an incident in May 2019 on Ohio 7 in Belpre Township. Counts 3 and 4 are the result of an incident in July 2019 in Belpre Township on U.S. 50 near the Washington County line.

• Michael J. Farnsworth, 30, of 809 Front St., Marietta, was indicted on one count of domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony. The indictment stems from an incident on Dec. 22 at 707 Elm St., Belpre. He had previously been convicted of criminal damaging on Oct. 23, 2018, which raised the offense to a felony.

• Hunter T. Piatt, 28, of 749 Mary St., Belpre, was indicted on one count of possession of .26 grams of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony. The indictment stems from an incident in September 2018 at his residence.

• Timothy I. Clifton, 33, of 4616 Federal Road, Coolville, was indicted on five charges, including one count of possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony; one count of possession of hydromorphone, a fifth-degree felony; one count of possession of hydrocodone, a fifth-degree felony; one count of possession of alprazolam, also known as Xanax, a first-degree misdemeanor; and one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs, a third-degree felony.

The indictments stem from an arrest on September 6, 2017 at the intersection of Lee Street and Putnam Howe Drive.

• Allison A. Smith, also known as Allison A. Snider, was indicted along with Timothy Clifton on five charges, including one count of possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony; one count of possession of hydromorphone, a fifth-degree felony; one count of possession of hydrocodone, a fifth-degree felony; one count of possession of alprazolam, also known as Xanax, a first-degree misdemeanor; and one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs, a third-degree felony.

The indictments stem from an arrest on Sept. 6, 2017 at the intersection of Lee Street and Putnam Howe Drive.

• Christopher L. Shaffer, 39, of 110 Brian Lane, Wellsburg, W.Va., was indicted on one count of possession of 1.46 grams of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony. The indictment stems from an arrest in August 2019 at the Memorial Bridge ramp in Belpre.

• Courtney N. Anderson, 39, of 4412 14th Ave., Parkersburg, was indicted on one count of possession of .25 grams of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony; and one count of illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia, including a meth pipe and multiple plastic baggies, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. The indictment stems from an arrest in October 2018, at 901 Main St., Belpre.

• Kayla D. Scadden, 39, of 16 East Lubeck Hills Drive, Washington, W.Va., was indicted on one count of possession of 1.02 grams of heroin, a fourth-degree felony, and one count of possession of .1 grams of fentanyl, a fifth-degree felony. The indictment stems from an incident in November 2017 at 1218 Washington Blvd., Belpre.

• Dustin A. Atkinson, 33, of 820 Belrock Ave., Belpre, was indicted on three charges, including one count of possession of 1.78 grams of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony; one count of illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia, including a meth pipe, digital scales and small colored plastic baggies, a fourth-degree misdemeanor; and one count of possessing hypodermic needles as drug abuse instruments, a second-degree misdemeanor. In July 2018, Atkinson was found with the items in the 800 block of Main Street in Belpre.

• Grace A. McKinley, 19, of 309 Calder Ridge Road, Belpre, was indicted on one count of possession of .1 grams of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony, and one count of illegal use or possession of two drug snorting tubes as drug paraphernalia, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. The indictment stems from an incident in September 2018 at the intersection of Clement Avenue and Ohio 7 in Belpre.

• Matthew L. Jones, 35, of 806 Front St., Marietta, was indicted on three charges, including one count of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony; one count of theft, a first-degree misdemeanor; and one count of aggravated menacing, a first-degree misdemeanor. Jones was arrested in January for allegedly stealing a bike, speakers and an assortment of tools.

• Michael L. Diamond, 62, of 555 Sandridge Road, Waterford, was indicted on one count of aggravated menacing, a first-degree misdemeanor. Deputies responded to 20470 State Route 60, Waterford, in reference to a report of a man with a knife.

Christopher Drayer reported Diamond, a disgruntled employee of Drayer Inc., a trucking company in Beverly, was walking around the parking lot with a knife. Drayer stated Diamond was upset about work and paychecks and came to the business to discuss his concerns. While talking, a verbal argument followed between the two, with Diamond taking hold of Drayer’s jacket close to Drayer’s throat.

Diamond then produced a knife and brought it up in close proximity to Drayer’s throat. Drayer was able to get away from Diamond and call 911. Diamond stated to deputies that he was upset about his paycheck situation and stated he had quit the day before.

A knife in a sheath, with approximately a 3 inch-length blade, was observed on his waistline and was taken as evidence. Diamond did advise that he pulled the knife out, but kept it down by his side, stating he did that in response to Drayer grabbing him.

• Rodney K. May II, 33, of 1029 Barth Road, Belpre, and Rodney D. Hill, 19, of 13228 State Route 555, Cutler, were each indicted on one count of receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony. A deputy was dispatched to 2035 State Route 550, Bartlett, in July 2019 for a report of two men yelling at each other in the parking lot of the former Bartlett Elementary School. Investigation revealed an argument over a stolen motorcycle.

• Leroy J. Clark, 43, of Ohio 550, Marietta, was indicted on two counts of illegal conveyance of drugs into grounds of detention facility or institution, both third-degree felonies. A deputy responded to the Washington County Jail in January 2019 in reference to jail staff finding drugs in the property of Clark. A deputy had advised Clark of the penalty for bringing anything illegal into the facility. The items found consisted of marijuana and an acetyl fentanyl.

• Joel A. Johnson, 39, of 814 Warren St., Marietta, was indicted in two separate cases. The first indictment was one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony. He was found with the drug on Feb. 4 in the 200 block of Washington Street, Marietta.

The second indictment was on four charges, including trafficking in heroin, a fifth-degree felony; one count of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony; one count of possession of heroin, a fifth-degree felony; and one count of possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony. Cash in the amount of $450 is subject to forfeit as it was the proceeds from the first two counts of the indictment. He was found with the cash and drugs on Feb. 24 in the 800 block of Warren Street, Marietta.

• Gina M. Karcher, 32, of 1308 Williamson Ave. Apt. 3A, New Matamoras, was indicted on one count of failure to appear, a fourth-degree felony. Karcher did not appear as ordered for a final pretrial hearing on Feb. 14 after being charged with possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony.

• David J. Smearman III, 32, of 570 Albright Road, Beverly, was indicted on one count of failure to appear, a fourth-degree felony. He did not appear as ordered for final pretrial hearings on Nov. 27, 2019, and Dec. 17, 2019. He was charged with possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, and tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony.

Possible Prison Terms & Maximum Fines:

• First-degree felony: Three to 11 years; $20,000.

• Second-degree felony: Two to eight years; $15,000.

• Third-degree felony: One to three years; $10,000.

• Third-degree felony involving an act of sex or violence: One to five years; $10,000.

• Fourth-degree felony: Six to 18 months; $5,000.

• Fifth-degree felony: Six months to one year; $2,500.

Source: Washington County Common Pleas Court.