Twenty true billed defendants were indicted this week by the Washington County Grand Jury.

Tavaris Williams, 32, of 1319 Henrico Road, Conley, Ga., and Alphonso Lorenzo Howard, 30, address unknown, were indicted on kidnapping and coercion charges.

Williams was indicted on one count of kidnapping, a first-degree felony, one count of theft, a fifth-degree felony, and one count of coercion, a second-degree misdemeanor.

Howard was indicted on one count of kidnapping, a first-degree felony, one count of failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony, one count of theft, a fifth-degree felony, and one count of coercion, a second-degree misdemeanor.

Washington County Prosecutor Nicole Coil said Williams and Howard approached Christopher Sneed in June 2018 at Second and Greene streets, Marietta. They threatened Sneed if he did not cash some checks for them, they would harm his sister.

“Peoples Bank cashed one forged check presented by Mr. Sneed and then became suspicious and contacted (Marietta Police Department),” Coil said. “While MPD was doing surveillance at the bank, Williams and Howard forced Mr. Sneed to try and cash another forged check.”

The bank did not cash this check and Williams and Howard forced Sneed to get in the car, she said.

Once they suspected that they were being watched by MPD, they took off with Sneed in a high speed chase that continued into West Virginia, Coil said.

“Williams and Sneed were eventually apprehended in West Virginia, but Alphonso Howard was neither apprehended nor located by West Virginia or Ohio law enforcement,” she said.

Howard was the driver, so that is why he has the additional charge, Coil added.

“The checks were completely counterfeit. The alleged account holders of the checks were out of the area, but not real entities,” she added.

Other indictments include:

¯ Barbara Ann Moore, 53, of 65347 Lake Road Lot C, Cambridge, was indicted on three charges, including one count of possession of heroin, a fifth-degree felony, one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle, a first-degree misdemeanor; and one count of illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. She was arrested in July 2020 on Ohio 7 in Marietta Township after a traffic stop in which she was allegedly found with heroin in a red Pontiac sedan that did not belong to her.

¯ Robert J. Huffman, 40, of 797 Channel Lane, Marietta, was indicted on three charges, including one count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony; one count of grand theft of a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony; and one count of criminal trespass, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. He was arrested after allegedly being found in September in a 1990 GMC truck which belonged to another person.

¯ Brayden S. Brewster, 19, of Belpre, was indicted on one count of domestic violence, a fifth-degree felony, and one count of unlawful restraint, a third-degree misdemeanor. He allegedly harmed a pregnant family member in September.

¯ Jessica Ann Withrow, 23, of 5500 Fullview Heights Drive, Athens, was indicted on one count of bribery, a third-degree felony; one count of assault, a fourth-degree felony; and one count of resisting arrest, a first-degree misdemeanor. She was arrested after allegedly attempting to bribe a peace officer in August. She then reportedly assaulted him in the process of resisting arrest.

¯ Blake M. Valentin, 27, of 542 Eighth St., Struthers, was indicted on one count of possession of a fentanyl-related compound and one count of aggravated possession of drugs, both fifth-degree felonies. He was arrested after a traffic stop on Interstate 77 in March, when he was reportedly found with fentanyl and methamphetamine.

¯ Blake I. Heiss, 24, of 15577 Muskingum River Road, Waterford, was indicted on one count of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. He was arrested after allegedly being found with methamphetamine in June 2019.

¯ Deane Allen Beck Jr., 41, of Marietta, was indicted on one count of domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony. He allegedly harmed a family member in August. He had previously been convicted of domestic violence in December 2011 in Washington County Common Pleas court.

¯ Ryan Patrick Barkley, 34, of Fleming, was indicted on four charges, including one count of failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony; one count of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse, or a combination of them-OVI, a first-degree misdemeanor; one count of domestic violence, a fourth-degree misdemeanor; and one count of domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor. He was arrested after allegedly fleeing from police in September. He was under the influence and harmed a juvenile family member. The Polaris Razor used in the offense is subject to forfeit.

¯ James N. Holder, 35, of 4755 Waterford Road, Marietta, was indicted on one count of failure to appear as required by recognizance, a fourth-degree felony. He was to appear in Washington County Common Pleas Court on Sept. 27.

¯ Amy S. Books, 35, of 209 Fearing St., Marietta, was indicted on one count of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. She was arrested in December after reportedly being found with methamphetamine.

¯ John L. Clark, 50, of 1685 Wynncrest Drive, Marietta, was indicted on one count of failure to appear as required by recognizance, a fourth-degree felony. He reportedly failed to appear in common pleas court on Sept. 27.

¯ Naomi Josephine Forbes, 33, of 1285 Lexington Ave., Akron, was indicted on one count of trafficking in marijuana and one count of aggravated possession of drugs, both fifth-degree felonies. She was arrested in July 2019 after a traffic stop on Interstate 77 in Salem Township. She was allegedly found with less than 200 grams of marijuana and MDMA. Subject to forfeit are a 6-inch knife and a Daisy Powerline .177 BB gun, both of which were found in her vehicle.

¯ Duo B. Maxwell, 36, of 129 Falls St., Williamstown, was indicted on one count of identity fraud, a fourth-degree felony, and one count of theft, a fifth-degree felony. He reportedly obtained personal identifying information of another person with the intent to hold himself out to be that person from Oct. 7, 2017, through Jan. 1, 2019. He also allegedly stole cash from the victim in an amount between $1,000 and $7,500.

¯ Clayton Myers, 49, of 2011 Washington Blvd. Apt. 3, Belpre, was indicted on one count of gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony. He was arrested after having sexual contact with a juvenile less than 13 years old in December 2017.

¯ Seth J. Joyce, 31, of 3125 State Route 26, Marietta, was indicted on one count of possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony. He was arrested after allegedly being found in February 2019 with fentanyl.

¯ Joseph D. Fell, 37, of 9375 Cutler Lake Road, Blue Rock, and Skylar Capri Taylor, 21, of 237 N. Columbus St., Somerset, were each indicted on one count of breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony, and one count of petty theft, a first-degree misdemeanor. They were arrested after allegedly breaking into an unoccupied structure and stealing miscellaneous items in December.

¯ Daulton S. Self, 33, of 809 Brentwood Drive, Belpre, was indicted on one count of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. He was arrested after reportedly being found with methamphetamine in April 2019.

Michele Newbanks can be reached at mnewbanks@mariettatimes.com.

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.