13 indicted in Highland County grand jury session
A Highland County grand jury handed down 13 indictments, including four indictments as the result of Highland County Task Force investigations, during their Tuesday, March 4 session.
As of this article’s posting, the four Task Force cases remain sealed, or secret.
In other indictments:
• Ryan Graves, 52, of Waverly was charged with one count each of tampering with evidence and aggravated possession of methamphetamine, both third-degree felonies.
According to the indictment, Graves is accused of “knowingly obtaining, possessing or using” meth “in an amount that equals or exceeds bulk amount but less than five times bulk amount” on or about Jan. 16. On the same date, it is alleged that Graves “did alter, destroy, conceal or remove any record, document or thing, with purpose to impair its value or availability as evidence” while “knowing that an official proceeding or investigation was in progress or [was] about to be or likely to be instituted.”
• Judy Russell, 61, of Hillsboro was charged with illegal conveyance of weapons or prohibited items onto the grounds of a detention facility or institution, a third-degree felony; and aggravated possession of methamphetamine, also a third-degree felony.
Both charges stem from Nov. 19, where it is alleged that Russell “knowingly obtained, possessed or used” meth “in an amount that equals or exceeds bulk amount but less than five times bulk amount.” She is accused of “knowingly conveying, or attempting to convey, [a drug of abuse] onto the grounds of a detention facility” or related institution.
• Ernie Ray Haskill, no age listed, of Hillsboro was charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a third-degree felony. It is alleged that on or about Aug. 24, 2024, Haskill “knowingly obtained, possessed or used” meth “in an amount that equals or exceeds bulk amount but less than five times bulk amount.”
• Patrick Cooper, 34, of Greenfield was charged with receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony. It is alleged that on or about Jan. 14, Cooper “did receive, retain or dispose of” a car while “knowing or having reasonable cause to believe said property had been obtained through the commission of a theft offense.”
• Skyler Long, 21, of Lynchburg, was charged with receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony. It is alleged that on or about Jan. 24, Long “did receive, retain or dispose of” a truck while “knowing or having reasonable cause to believe said property had been obtained through the commission of a theft offense.”
• Dustin McCollum, 26, of Hillsboro was charged with pandering obscenity involving a minor, a fourth-degree felony. It is alleged that on or about Oct. 30, 2021, McCollum “did, with knowledge of the character of the material or performance involved, buy, procure, possess or control obscene material that had a minor as one of its participants.”
• Ronald Houseman II, 43, of South Salem was charged with one count each of telecommunications harassment and pandering obscenity, both fifth-degree felonies. Both charges are for allegations stemming from the same date in November. It is alleged Houseman “did knowingly post an image on an internet webpage for the purpose of abusing, threatening or harassing” a victim. On the same day, Houseman is accused of “promoting or advertising for sale, delivering or disseminating, selling, delivering, publicly disseminating, publicly displaying, exhibiting, presenting, renting or providing obscene material.”
• Seth Garrison, 44, of Greenfield was charged with pandering obscenity, a fifth-degree felony. It is alleged that on or about Jann. 24, Garrison “did, with knowledge of the character of the material or performance involved, promote or advertise for sale, deliver or disseminate, sell, deliver, publicly disseminate, publicly display, exhibit, present, rent or provide obscene material.”
• Alexis Maine, 21, of Wilmington was charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony.
An indictment is merely a charge and is not evidence of guilt.
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