A Parsons man who was found in Virginia with an underage girl reported missing — briefly triggering an Amber Alert — appeared Friday in Monongalia County Magistrate Court.
Danny Small, 26, was arrested May 5 in the Front Royal, Virginia, where he was found with 14-year-old Shyanne Lula Phillips, who was reported missing May 5. An Amber Alert was sent regarding her disappearance and rescinded after about two hours.
The police found Small in a hotel with the girl, according to a criminal complaint. He is charged with kidnapping by the Morgantown Police Department.
Small waived his right to a preliminary hearing before Magistrate Sandy Holepit, and the prosecution — represented by Brandon Benchoff — agreed to provide discovery in the case as soon as it receives it from the police. Small is represented by John Angotti.
Phillips left her step-dad’s house about 11 p.m. on May 4, leaving a note stating she was leaving to pursue a new life, according to a criminal complaint against Small. Her mother, Stacy Stone, found social media posts stating her daughter planned to go to North Carolina with a 26-year-old and Small was from the state and the same age. Stone reached out to Small who denied being involved with Phillip’s disappearance.
A phone number used by Phillips to contact a friend was linked to Small, the complaint said.
On May 5, Small denied being with Phillips or knowing where she was and said he hadn’t even been to Morgantown, in a Facebook messenger conversation with Stone, the complaint said. Later that day, the Front Royal Police Department found the two together in a motel room in Front Royal.
Neither Stone nor any legal guardian of Phillips gave Small permission to take Phillips out of Morgantown.
Kidnapping carries a penalty of one-10 years in prison under West Virginia code.
