KINGWOOD — The Preston County Grand Jury returned 20 indictments Tuesday, bringing the total number for the year to a record 152 felonies.
Preston Prosecuting Attorney Melvin C. Snyder III said it’s a record that has his office rethinking its model to prioritize cases going to the grand jury, rather than presenting all its cases each grand jury.
“Because we are just swamped,” Snyder said.
That’s partly because he has only three assistant prosecutors — one of whom works full-time on abuse and neglect cases — and Preston has only one circuit judge.
He approached the Preston County Commission about increasing his budget next fiscal year to add another assistant.
Snyder compared Preston’s staffing to Marion County, which has about seven prosecutors and does fewer felonies, he said.
“We’re like double what we were” a few years ago, the prosecutor said.
Part of that increase is because of drug abuse, though not all the charges are for drug offenses.
“It’s like almost everybody we charge, we know they use drugs. They tell us that,” Snyder said. “A lot of it’s meth, too, because they can use meth cheaper than opioids.”
Only about one of 30 to 50 felony cases Preston prosecutes doesn’t have a drug component, Snyder said.
Preston Circuit Judge Steve Shaffer has made similar comments in court. Last week, for example, at a sentencing, Shaffer said, “These cases are few and far between where there’s no drugs.”
“That’s just what you’re seeing. You’re seeing people using drugs and just doing criminal stuff. That’s where we are. That’s why it’s so crazy,” Snyder said.
There’s also an upswing in hearings in magistrate court, he noted.
Indicted Tuesday were:
Fetsco, Ronald Eugene, 80, of Bruceton Mills — First-degree sexual abuse.
Armstrong, Jason Scott, 39, of Terra Alta — Six counts of failure to register as a sex offender.
Christopher, Shane Andrew, 22, of Albright — Second-degree sexual assault.
Hartman, John Andrew, 54, of Tygart Valley Regional Jail — Two counts of second-offense harassment.
Somerruk, Paul Alexander III, 46, of Tygart Valley Regional Jail — First-degree sexual abuse, strangulation.
Danks, Daniel Boone, 41, of Newburg — Fraudulent scheme, insurance fraud.
Jones, Charles Edward, 22, of Terra Alta — Burglary.
Stratton, Ryan Christopher, 31, of Tunnelton — Obtaining property with worthless check.
Sansone, Celina Dawn, 34, of Tygart Valley Regional Jail — Fraudulent vehicle registration.
Hunt, Ruth Ann, 37, of Kingwood — Fraudulent scheme.
Travis, Justin Robert, 33, of Tygart Valley Regional Jail — Fleeing with reckless intent, possession of meth with intent to deliver, possession of imitation controlled substances with intent to deliver, second-offense driving on license suspended or revoked for DUI.
Nine, Steven Forest, 37, of Terra Alta — Malicious assault, domestic battery, battery.
Nelder, Billy Joe, 34, of Kingwood — Possession of meth with intent to deliver.
Allen, Herschel Heathcote IV, 21, of Friendsville, Md. — Fleeing with reckless intent.
Teter, Okey Allen, 30, of Kingwood — Possession of meth with intent to deliver.
Johnston, Nathan John, 35, of Fayette County (Pa.) Prison — Two counts of failure to register as a sex offender.
Strahin, Crystal Star, 20, of Masontown — Fleeing while DUI, fleeing with reckless intent.
Taylor, Arnold Samuel, 33, of Masontown — Child neglect with risk of injury.
Johnston, James Robert, 30, of Masontown — Burglary, petit larceny.
Stout, Thomas Edward, 35 — Breaking and entering.
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