What are the opening hours?

Monday 8:30am - 4pm Tuesday 8:30am - 4pm Wednesday 8:30am - 4pm Thursday 8:30am - 4pm Friday 8:30am - 4pm

https://www.facebook.com/166769763193875/

Braxton County Prosecuting Attorney, 307 Main Street, Sutton, WV (2026)

06/04/2026

On June 4, 2026 three defendants appeared before Judge Jasmine R. H. Morton for sentencing.

Krystal Carpenter, of Sutton, WV, was sentenced to not less than one nor more than fifteen years in prison for her felony conviction of Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine. The ex*****on of the sentence was suspended and the defendant was placed upon probation for a period of seven years. As a condition of probation, she must complete 40 hours of community service per year and successfully complete substance abuse treatment. The charges arose from a May 31, 2025 incident during which Trooper B. J. Wiley of the WV State Police responded to a disturbance at a home in Flatwoods and found the defendant to be in possession of various drugs, along with other items used in the distribution of controlled substances. The defendant was represented by Charleston attorney, Andrew Chattin.

Ken Roupe, of Sutton, WV, was sentenced to a determinate term of five years in prison for his felony conviction for Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substances Act. The ex*****on of the sentence was suspended and the defendant was placed upon probation for a period of seven years. As a condition of probation, he must complete 20 hours of community service per year. The charges are the result of a September 7, 2025 search warrant executed upon Roupe’s home by Deputy Levi Cochran and other officers, after law enforcement obtained information that the defendant along with two other individuals from Akron, Ohio were at the home selling drugs. The defendant was represented by Clarksburg attorney, Timothy Gentilozzi.

Trevor Hurst, of Exchange, WV, was sentenced to not less than one nor more than ten years in prison for his felony conviction for Grand Larceny. The charges were the result of a June 29, 2025 investigation by Trooper A. L. Groves of the WV State Police. After receiving a breaking and entering complaint on Scotts Fork Bonnie Road, Trooper Groves was able to follow marks made by the rims on a stolen wood splitter, due to the equipment having flat tires. The marks led from the victim’s residence to the defendant’s residence, where the wood splitter and other stolen property were recovered. The defendant was represented by Fairmont attorney, Eric Wildman.

Braxton County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, William A. McCourt, Jr. represented the State in all three cases.

06/03/2026

On June 2, 2026 the Braxton County Grand Jury returned the following indictments:

TIMMIE MAZE
S*XUAL ASSAULT, 3RD DEGREE (1 count)
S*XUAL ASSAULT, 1ST DEGREE (2 counts)
S*X ABUSE BY PARENT/GUARDIAN/CUSTODIAN (3 counts)
IN**ST (1 count)
DISPLAY OF OBSCENE MATTER TO A MINOR (1 count)

JAMES BRAGG, II and MARY BRAGG
CHILD NEGLECT W/ RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH (2 counts)
CONSPIRACY (1 count)

CODY RAY STOUT and GERAKA KAY MARKS
FLEEING IN A VEHICLE W/ RECKLESS INDIFFERENCE (1 count)
CONSPIRACY (1 count)
NO INSURANCE (1 count)
PASSING IN NO PASSING ZONE (1 count)

MASON BOUIE SIGMAN and CHRISTINA D. BROWN
ROBBERY, FIRST DEGREE (1 count)
BREAKING & ENTERING (1 count)
CONSPIRACY (1 count)
PETIT LARCENY (1 count)

DAVID MICHAEL LEGGETT
FLEEING IN A VEHICLE WITH RECKLESS INDIFFERENCE
DRIVING REVOKE DUI, THIRD OFFENSE
IMPROPER REGISTRATION
PASSING IN NO PASSING ZONE

WILLIAM ERIC DEAN and ELIZABETH VIOLA MCCOURT
POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER FENTANYL (1 count)
POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER METHAMPHETAMINE (1 count)
CONSPIRACY (1 count)

KATIE NADINE DORSEY and WAYNE RAWLIN VANLANDINGHAM
BRINGING DRUGS INTO REGIONAL JAIL (1 count)
DELIVERY OF FENTANYL (1 count)
POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER FENTANYL (1 count)
CONSPIRACY TO VIOLATE W. VA. Code § 60A-4-401 (1 count)

KATY DUCKWORTH and PHILLIP DAILEY
DELIVERY OF FENTANYL (1 count each)
DELIVERY OF AN IMITATION SUBSTANCE (Dailey – 1 count)
POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER FENTANYL (3 counts)
POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER METHAMPHETAMINE
CONSPIRACY TO VIOLATE W. Va. Code § 60A-4-401 (1 count)

BERAIQUE JADE TAYLOR and JOSHUA TAYLOR
CHILD NEGLECT CAUSING SERIOUS BODILY INJURY (1 count)
CHILD NEGLECT CREATING RISK OF DEATH (1 count)
CONSPIRACY (1 count)

MEGAN STUMP
GRAND LARCENY

CODY MOLLOHAN
S*XUAL ABUSE BY PARENT/GUARDIAN/CUSTODIAN (6 counts)
S*XUAL ABUSE, 1ST DEGREE (6 counts)
IN**ST (6 counts)

ZACHARY BOGGS
FAIL TO REGISTER AS A S*X OFFENDER (10 counts)
PROHIBITED PERSON POSSESSING A FIREARM

LATOSHA LEIGH HANEY
GRAND LARCENY
TAKING THE IDENTITY OF ANOTHER
FORGERY
UTTERING

An Indictment is merely a charging document and all of the defendants are considered innocent, unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in Court.

06/03/2026

On May 22, 2026 Braxton County Circuit Judge Michael Asbury, Jr. sentenced several defendants who had previously been convicted of various felonies.

Javon T. Williams of North Carolina was sentenced to one to ten years in prison for bringing stolen property into the State of West Virginia. The charges arose from a January 2, 2025 incident where Williams and three other individuals brought property valued at $26,000 and which was stolen from Home Depot, to Flatwoods to sell to a Braxton County resident. Williams was also ordered to pay restitution to Home Depot and the Braxton County resident. He must also reimburse the Braxton County Prosecutor’s Office for the costs of his extradition from North Carolina. The defendant was represented by Charleston attorney, John Balenovich.

William J. Posey of Weston, WV was sentenced to one to fifteen years in prison and fined $5,000.00 upon the felony offense of Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine. He was also sentenced to six months in the Regional Jail upon the misdemeanor offense of DUI. The charges arose from a June 1, 2025 incident during which Trooper A. L. Groves of the West Virginia State Police found Posey operating a vehicle while under the influence. During the stop Trooper Groves recovered drugs and other items consistent with the sale of controlled substances. The defendant was represented by Buckhannon attorney Nicholas Perone.

Brandon D. McCourt of Sutton, WV, was sentenced to one to ten years in prison upon the felony offense of Grand Larceny related to a November, 2024 incident during which McCourt stole a Honda motorcycle from a residence in Braxton County. McCourt was also ordered to pay $9,000.00 in restitution to the owner of the motorcycle. The defendant was represented by Fairmont attorney, Eric Wildman.

Tara Jo Turley of Flatwoods, WV, was sentenced to one to fifteen years in prison and fined $5,000.00, upon her conviction for the felony offense of Possession with Intent to Deliver. Turley was charged by Trooper A. L. Groves of the West Virginia State Police after a search of her residence in August of 2025 revealed methamphetamine and other items consistent with the sale of controlled substances. The defendant was represented by Clarksburg attorney, Timothy Gentilozzi.

Braxton County Prosecuting Attorney, Dwayne Vandevender, represented the State in all four cases.

05/08/2026

Jason Lee Allen age 53, of Braxton County, West Virginia, has been found guilty of s*xually motivated misdemeanor battery. The verdict was rendered by Braxton County Magistrate John “Eric” Skidmore, after a 2 day bench trial which began on May 6, 2026. Allen had been charged with the crime by West Virginia State Police in November of 2025.

During the two day bench trial the Court heard testimony from multiple witnesses for the State and the defendant. The State alleged that Allen, who is the pastor of the Victory Apostolic Church in Flatwoods, had reached under the skirt of a 24 year old female member of his congregation and touched her leg and thigh. Allen was accused of engaging in the contact during a meeting between him and the young woman while he was alone with her to counsel her on spiritual issues. The defendant alleged that the victim was a chronic liar and had made up the story.

At trial the State played a video recorded interview during which the defendant told investigating officers that he had touched the victim’s leg during the counseling session to feel a “scar” on her lower calf. As the interview progressed the defendant told officers that he may have touched the victim’s leg further up than her calf, eventually demonstrating touching of her leg from her lower calf to above her knee. The defendant claimed the victim gave him permission to touch her leg. The victim disputed the claim.

Sentencing is set for May 27, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. before Magistrate Skidmore. The defendant faces a possible sentence of up to one year in jail. Because the Magistrate made a finding that the crime was s*xually motivated he must also register as a s*x offender for a period of ten years.

The matter was investigated by Sgt. B. K. Smith of the West Virginia State Police. The State was represented by Braxton County Prosecuting Attorney, Dwayne Vandevender. The defendant was represented by Gassaway lawyer Daniel Armstrong.

04/01/2026

On April 1, 2026 Bridgette Jayne Bender appeared for a probation revocation hearing before Judge Michael Asbury, Jr. Bender, who had been placed on probation in December of 2024 after completing substance abuse treatment, made admissions to the petition to revoke probation. Bender had been arrested in December of 2025 for domestic battery in Ohio County and aggravated DUI in Marshall County, thus violating her probation.

After Judge Asbury revoked her probation Bender asked to be readmitted to probation to permit her to re-enroll in the substance abuse treatment program. The State objected to the request citing the severity of the offense, the nature of the violations and the defendant's history. Judge Asbury denied the request for probation and sentenced the defendant to 3 to 15 years in prison on her conviction for possession with intent to deliver fentanyl.

The State was represented by Braxton County Prosecutor, Dwayne Vandevender and the defendant was represented by Sutton attorney, David Karickhoff.

03/05/2026

Attention please:

When you are reading an article, whether it be on a news site or this page, please read the ENTIRE article. Apparently WDTV had an article about the Smith/Talbert plea that had a very unclear headline about mishandled evidence (They have since fixed it.) However, people were not reading past the headline and were calling and giving Deputy Brad Williams a lot of grief.

Deputy Williams did NOT mishandle evidence and, in fact, was very thorough with his investigation. He did an excellent job investigating the baby's death. This case has been hard enough emotionally on my staff and the officers. Please understand that we have done everything we could to secure a conviction considering the problems we were handed with the case. Please stop contacting Deputy Williams to complain.

03/05/2026

On Tuesday, March 3, 2026, Angel Talbert and James Joseph Smith entered pleas of guilty to voluntary manslaughter related to the death of their four month old child on November 16, 2024.

Braxton County Prosecutor Dwayne Vandevender told Judge Michael Asbury, Jr. that, after the death of the baby, her body was sent to the Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy. Investigators received the autopsy results on April 10, 2025. Lab results attached to the autopsy showed a .330 blood alcohol content in the liver tissue. The couple was arrested and charged with murder after they admitted to giving the baby alcohol, but claimed they only rubbed it on her gums daily because she was fussy.

Vandevender told the Court that, during the course of the case, it was discovered that the Medical Examiner's office did not test any blood samples for alcohol and had left a urine sample in a refrigerator for an extended period of time before finally freezing the sample and testing it some five months later. The results of that test showed no alcohol metabolites in the urine. Vandevender said that the doctor that performed the autopsy was unable to say if the negative test was due to a degradation of the sample because of the manner in which it was stored.

Vandevender also told Judge Asbury that, after learning of the negative urine test and due to the resulting uncertainty surrounding the toxicology findings, the State extended the plea offer to voluntary manslaughter, which is a lesser included offense of murder. After considering whether or not to accept the plea, Judge Asbury ruled that, based on the circumstances and due to the incompetence of the Medical Examiner's office in handling the samples, the plea was in the fair administration of justice.

The defendants are due to be sentenced on April 27, 2026, and face up to 15 years in prison. Talbert was represented by Charleston attorney Andrew Chattin and Smith was represented by Buckhannon attorney Steve Nanners.

02/11/2026

On February 3, 2026 the Braxton County Grand Jury returned Indictments against the following individuals:

CHESTER HARLEY BISHOP
Failure To Register as a S*x Offender (3 counts)

PATRICK LEE BUTLER, II
Domestic Battery, Third Offense
Domestic Assault, Third Offense
Attempted Strangulation

SHANDA RENAE DAVIS
DUI, Third Offense
Possession of a Controlled Substance (2 counts)
Obstructing an Officer

KRYSTAL CARPENTER
Possession With Intent to Deliver Fentanyl
Possession With Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine
Possession With Intent to Deliver Alprazolam
Aiding Escape or Other Offenses (Taking controlled substances into the jail)

JAZMIR YOUNG
Possession With Intent to deliver Fentanyl
Aiding Escape or Other Offenses (Taking controlled substances into the jail)

WILLIAM EDWARD SELPH and KSEAN DOMINQUE VATEN
Wanton Endangerment (8 counts)
Attempted Murder (9 counts)
Use or Presentment of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
Conspiracy

ROBERT LEE WILT
Terroristic Threats
Threat Of Retaliation Against Public Officer

HURL SMITH and DANIELLE LOANE
Possession With Intent to Deliver Fentanyl
Possession With Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine
Possession With Intent to Deliver Alprazolam
Delivery of a Controlled Substance - Fentanyl
Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substance Act

WILLIAM J. POSEY
Possession With Intent to Deliver Fentanyl
Possession With Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine
DUI

KEN ROUPE and AARON CUELLAS
Possession With Intent to Deliver Fentanyl
Possession With Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine
Bringing Controlled Substances Into the State
Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substance Act

BOBBY GAIL COTTRELL, JR.
S*xual Assault, Second Degree (20 counts)
In**st (20 counts)

CURTIS RIGGS
S*xual Assault, Third Degree (8 counts)
S*xual Abuse, Third Degree (1 count)
Abduction With Intent To Defile

JOSHUA MATTHEW RICHARDSON
Transferring or Receiving Stolen Property

TARA JO TURLY
Possess with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine (2 counts)

TREVOR ADAM HURST
Burglary
Grand Larceny

ROSS MARKS and MARIA MARKS
Prohibited Person W/ Firearm (3 counts)
Possession With Intent to Deliver Morphine
Possession With Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine
Possession with Intent to Deliver or Manufacture Ma*****na
Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substance Act

INDICTMENTS ARE MERELY CHARGING DOCUMENTS AND THE DEFENDANTS ARE CONSIDERED INNOCENT UNLESS AND UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT IN COURT.

01/21/2026

On January 12, 2026 Judge Michael Asbury, Jr. sentenced Joshua Bly Miller to the maximum sentence of two to ten years in prison. Miller had previously pled guilty in Braxton County to Possession Of Material Depicting Minors Engaged In S*xually Explicit Conduct, With A Video Of Less Than Five Minutes. Judge Asbury ordered the sentence to be served consecutively to the sentences the defendant is currently serving after having previously pled guilty to S*xual Abuse in the First Degree in Gilmer County.

Upon his release from prison the defendant will have to register as a s*xual offender for the rest of his life. He will also be subject to extended supervision for s*x offenders for a period of thirty years.

The defendant was represented by Charleston attorney, Andrew Chattin and the State was represented by Braxton County Prosecuting Attorney, Dwayne Vandevender.

11/19/2025

Earlier today, after a two day trial and approximately 3 hours of deliberations a Braxton County jury found Charles E. Workman, age 62, of Braxton County, guilty of the felony offenses of unlawful assault and wanton endangerment with a firearm.

The charges stem from a November, 2024 incident where Workman entered the 84 Lumber in Braxton County to return some plumbing items. Workman did not have a receipt for the items and eventually became involved in a heated argument with the manager. During the argument another employee of the store attempted to intervene. Workman then displayed a pistol he was carrying concealed. The employee, fearing for his and his manager's safety struck Workman in the face, knocking him to the floor. The employee then attempted to retreat behind the counter, when Workman pulled the pistol and shot him in the back.

The employee ran out a nearby door in an effort to get away, but Workman followed him into the parking lot and held him at gunpoint. The employee testified that he begged Workman not to kill him, telling him that he had a wife and kids and did not want to die. Workman eventually left the parking lot and drove to nearby Braxton County Memorial Hospital where he was treated for injuries to his face from being struck by the employee. The employee also drove to the hospital and was treated for a gunshot wound to the back.

After the verdict was delivered, Judge Michael W. Asbury, Jr. granted the State's motion to deny post-conviction bond and ordered the defendant to be taken into custody and lodged at the Regional Jail pending his sentencing on January 6, 2026. Workman faces a possible 1 to 5 years in prison for the unlawful assault and a determinate sentence of up to five years in prison for the wanton endangerment.

The defendant was represented by Gassaway attorney, Daniel Armstrong. The State was represented by Braxton County Assistant Prosecutor, Daniel B. Dotson, III.

Braxton County Prosecuting Attorney

06/04/2026

06/03/2026

06/03/2026

05/08/2026

04/01/2026

03/05/2026

03/05/2026

02/11/2026

01/21/2026

11/19/2025

Address

Opening Hours

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Monday	8:30am - 4pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 4pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 4pm
Thursday	8:30am - 4pm
Friday	8:30am - 4pm