Teenager accused of Frogtown break-in arraigned
Published 12:00 am Thursday, July 4, 2013
Barely 18 years old and facing prison time, an Ironton teen denied his involvement in the break in of a local bar and restaurant.
Jerry Ray Blevins, 18, of 629 S. Eighth St., was arraigned and pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a third-degree count of tampering with evidence and a fifth-degree count of breaking and entering at Frogtown.
Prosecuting Attorney Brigham Anderson recommended bond be set at $50,000 cash or surety.
Warren Morford, Blevins’ attorney, said his client had no means to flee the county and asked for a lesser bond.
Judge Charles Cooper set bond at the recommended amount and set a pretrial for July 10.
Blevins was arrested May 31 following the Frogtown break-in.
Employees at Frogtown reported in May that the bar had been broken into and about $15,000 was stolen, of which $6,000 had been raised during a poker run Memorial Day weekend to go for the Wounded Warriors Project.
About $3,000 was recovered.
In other cases:
• Joseph Trout, 23, of 1108 Fourth St., South Point, was arraigned on a count of second-degree robbery, to which he pleaded not guilty.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Mike Gleichauf asked Cooper to set a $100,000 bond, based on the seriousness of the charge.
Cooper set the suggested bond and scheduled a pretrial for July 10.
Trout is accused of reaching in the window of a woman’s car and snatching her purse, injuring the 76-year-old. The incident happened in the Lowe’s parking lot in South Point in May.
• Jennifer Finley, 38, address listed as homeless, pleaded guilty to a count of fifth-degree theft. Two counts of misdemeanor misuse of a credit card were dismissed in exchange for the woman’s guilty plea.
Cooper sentenced Finley to six months in prison.
• Clarence Bryant, 32, formerly of Chesapeake, was arraigned on a count of third-degree theft a firearm, to which he pleaded not guilty.
Cooper set bond at $25,000 cash or surety and set a pretrial for July 10.
• Aaron Cooper, 32, of 417 Solida Road, South Point, was arraigned on two counts of fifth-degree breaking and entering, three counts of misdemeanor theft and a third-degree count of theft of a firearm. Cooper pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Judge D. Scott Bowling set bond at $35,000 cash or surety and $35,000 own recognizance. The judge also set a pretrial for July 17.
• Katrina Phelps, 51, of 402 Second St. E., South Point, pleaded guilty to one third-degree and two fourth-degree counts of trafficking in drugs (oxycodone).
Bowling set sentencing for July 10.
• Dustin Phelps, 27, of 114B Freeman Court, South Point, admitted he violated his community control sanctions and was sentenced to six months in prison.
• Natasha Estep, 29, of 408 17th St., Kenova, W.Va., pleaded guilty to a fifth-degree count of forgery.
Bowling sentenced the woman to four years CCS, 200 hours community service and ordered her to complete the STAR Community Justice Center program.
• David Barry, 44, 33 Township Road 1257, Proctorville, was arraigned on a third-degree count of operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol and a fifth-degree count of possession of drugs (oxycodone), to which he pleaded not guilty.
Bowling set bond at $20,000 cash or surety and set a pretrial for July 17.