WINTER GRAND
JURY UPDATE
Nov 23 2020
When Bailiff
Gary King comes knocking to serve a Grand Jury summons, you
know you're going to have a bad day. Winter Grand Jury was
convened at the beginning of Nov. Judge Ric Facemire is
presiding over this class of allegations.
There's another way to get called before a Judge
and that's called a direct indictment. That amounts to, some
other agency did the background work and presented it to
Prosecutor Jim Samples for inclusion. For the most part, there
is no advance notice to the public, such as a criminal
complaint / arrest. We have one of those direct indictments
this time around.
So, we know of three ways to get your arss under
scrutiny of the Court. One, a Badge arrests you for some
serious and infraction and you find yourself in front of the
Grand Jury... Or, two, a private citizen can bring charges
against someone... or three, a direct indictment can be
brought by say a Fire Marshall, Auditor etc.
Christian Elliot is a community leader. She's
active in many events and activities and has been for years.
She's often seen at area activities. She usually sports a
smile and makes conversation easily. At the Lizemores Fire
Dept., she's the key person handling the $$$. That person,
position, is not in the forefront but none the less, a very
important volunteer in the organization. Without good record
keeping and management, an organization will fold quickly.
Christian Elliot was indicted by the Winter Grand
Jury under a direct indictment brought by the West Virginia
Auditor's office in Charleston. On Arraignment day, around
10:30 in the am, Ms Elliot's name was called. Dressed neatly
in a black outfit and sporting a leopard design on her face
mask, Elliot plead not guilty to every count of the indictment
list. Attorney Alan Pritt represented her. From Pritt: she's
not a flight risk, she's a local girl, and asked for a small
bond. Judge Facemire allowed a PR bond for a couple days and
then a $5K bond to keep her out of the slammer. Christian Nova
Elliot's trial is set for Dec 8th beginning at 9am.
When a community leaders gets named in a Court
proceeding, that's big news. Other leaders have been caught in
the past. Such times raise eyebrows. Here it is again.
From the five count indictment available in the public
file, here goes with the charges
1: Forgery Around Jan 3rd of 2019 Elliot forged a check
on the Lizemores Fire Dept (LFD) for $176.10
2: Embezzlement Between Sept 13th of 2018 and August 1
in 2019 Elliot did embezzle or convert to her own use, money
belonging to LFD amounting to $1000 or more for her own use,
said funds then and there being in the care, custody control
of Christian Elliot.
3:Falsifying Accounts between Nov 1 2018 and June
30th 2019, Elliot did feloniously alter or emit an entry into
the books with the intent to to conceal the true state of the
account or defraud the LFD. Ms Elliot did obtain $$$ of 1000
dollars or more from the LFD for her own personal use
4: COMPUTER FRAUD Between March 19 2019 and
August 1st 2019 did feloniously access a computer, computer
service / network for the purpose of of defrauding LFD in the
amount of $1000 or more.
5: FRAUDULENT SCHEMES Between Sept 13 2018 and
August 1 2019, Christian Elliot knowingly deprived LFD of
money, goods, property, service, by means of fraudulent
pretenses, promises, representations of $1000 or more.
It's tough enough to keep any business up and running
in Clayberry. It's doubly tough for a non profit which depends
on the good will of donations and volunteer help.
Keep in mind, everything in an indictment , those are
all allegations until the Judge says different. Something else
to consider. Prosecutor Samples does not have an investigator.
For him to make a presentation to the Grand Jury, someone else
, like a local Badge, has to do the leg work.He can only bring
what's provided him. On more than a few occasions, that
foot work by local Badges, it's less than stellar, and results
in a case getting tossed before trail or by the jury during a
trial.
Those pesky outside investigators, either on the
State or Federal level, they provide a more thorough behind
the scenes investigation.
Other
Indictments include
Raymond Brown sexual abuse by a parent etc x 4;
sexual assault second degree x 4; and incest x 4
David Lee Patterson crashes involving death or
injury x 2; no reg.; no sticker.
Gary Moore murder, wanton endangerment involving
firearm x 2
Bradley Joe Stone fleeing in a vehicle with
reckless indifference
Sherry McGlothlin forgery x 2 fraudulent access
to a device x 2 computer fraud x2
James Edward Neal Jr fleeing in vehicle with
reckless indifference; no driver's license 2nd offense;
improper registration; no insurance
Eden D Taylor destruction of property; person in
custody against public justice
Joseph Moore possession with intent to deliver x
3; no inspection sticker; improper registration
Grayling Dennis Workman burglary, domestic
battery; destruction of property x 2; malicious wounding;
strangulation
Erick Steven Anderson unlawful assault;
strangulation, domestic battery; unlawful assault;
strangulation, domestic battery
AW