Indictments returned against sex, violent offenses

Jun. 22—Several persons were named in indictments involving sexual and violent offenses, returned by a Laurel grand jury on Friday.

Shade Tyler Witt, 23, of Little Arthur Ridge Road in East Bernstadt, was named in a two-count indictment charging him with second-degree rape and second-degree sodomy involving a minor child. The incidents, according to the indictment, occurred around Dec. 20 — just a week before the victim turned 13 years old.

Witt was not present in court Friday for the indictment and he was set under $100,000 cash bond with a hearing set for Aug. 17. If bond is posted, he is ordered to have no contact with the victim, no further violations and no drugs or alcohol.

—Wade Alex Hundley, 43, of West Hundley Road in London was charged on five counts involving a 14-year-old child on Nov. 5. The indictment charges him with third-degree rape, first-degree strangulation, intimidating a witness, second-degree sexual abuse and third -degree terroristic threatening. Details of the indictment state that Hundley exposed the child to sexual contact in November 2021, then threatened her and strangled her on March 7, 2022 to keep her from testifying against him in the sexual-related charges. His bond was set at $100,000 cash with restrictions of no contact with the victim or witnesses in the case. He is set for a hearing on Aug. 17.

—A 20-count indictment against 50-year-old Donald Ray Gilbert of Bluegrass Road in East Bernstadt was returned on Friday as well. Gilbert is charged with 10 counts of possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor between Jan. and Jan. 2022. He is also charged with 10 counts of distributing matter with a minor in a sexual performance during the same time frame. The indictment states that Gilbert "knowingly and unlawfully" brought "into the state for distribution matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor."

—Another East Bernstadt man is charged with three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment from a Jan. 13, 2021 incident in which he shot a woman with a BB gun, then coming up behind her and making a cutting motion across her neck.

Jacob Daniel Neace, 29, of Edgewood Drive, is additionally charged with shooting the BB gun in the vicinity of a 4-year-old child, "thereby creating a danger of death or serious physical injury." Court records indicate that Neace is free on $10,000 cash bond with restrictions of no contact with the victims, no further violations and no weapons in his possession. He is set for a hearing on June 27.

—Kendall Ray Browning, 46, of Farris Jones Road and 31-year-old Jessica Charlene Lawson of Winding Blade Road, both of East Bernstadt, are charged in the March 20 kidnapping and assault on another man. The indictment states the couple committed kidnapping by "terrorizing and restraining the liberty" of the victim and that they inflicted "physical injury by means of a dangerous instrument or deadly weapon."

—Eric Glendon McCrary, 42, of Lou Court in London, was charged with impersonating a peace officer on July 13, 2020. McCrary, according to the indictment, represented himself as a Kentucky State Police. He is additionally charged with first-degree persistent felony offender (PFO), having a 2017 conviction in Whitley County for possession of a handgun by a convicted felon and a 2009 conviction in Laurel County for second-degree robbery.

—Regina Lee Neal, 37, of East KY 1376 and 41-year-old William Francis, also known as William Jennings Francis and William James Francis, of Little County Farm Road, both in East Bernstadt, are charged with an attempted robbery of Glenview Market on Jan. 25. Neal is charged with first-degree attempted robbery for "threatening the use of physical force while armed with a gun and in the course of committing a theft." Francis is charged with complicity to commit first-degree robbery "by aiding, counseling, or attempting to aid another in planning or committing" the robbery.

—Christopher Lee Vaughn, approximately 40 years old, lists two birthdates and no address, but is named in a two-count indictment for complicity to commit first-degree robbery and receiving stolen property over $1,000 but under $10,000 on Feb. 4. The indictment claims that Vaughn assisted in planning the robbery, then possessed $2,618 that was stolen from 25 Vape and Smoke Shop.

—David Lee Shane Cornett, 37, of Old Richmond Road in London, was indicted for first-degree wanton endangerment and first-degree trafficking in controlled substance on Mar. 3 by "engaging in conduct which created a danger of death or serious physical injury" to another person. Cornett was also in possession of a quantity of Fentanyl "for the purpose of sale."

Other indictments included:

—James Robert Weaver, 45, of Braxton Lane in Lily — first-degree strangulation, fourth-degree assault and third-degree terroristic threatening on May 2 for strangling, slapping and threatening a female.

—Joshua David Floyd, 32, of South 30th Street in Louisville — two counts of first-degree fleeing and evading police, four counts of first-degree wanton endangerment and speeding on April 13. Floyd was involved in a chase involving four police officers, exceeding 100 mph in a 70 mph zone. The indictment states the police officers had to swerve and take "evasive action" to avoid a collision with Floyd as he passed cars on the shoulder of the road.

—Bradley Ray Colyer, 34, of Brandon Drive in London — first-degree strangulation and fourth-degree assault against a female on Feb. 25.

—Layton Brent Justice, 60, of Justice Lane in East Bernstadt — first-degree strangulation, fourth-degree assault and first-degree persistent felony offender on April 12 in which he grabbed a female's arm and choked her. Justice has three prior felony convictions, two of which involved trafficking marijuana in 2001 and trafficking controlled substance in 2008. He was also convicted of second-degree strangulation in 2021, with all charges in Laurel County.

—Timothy James "TJ" Crossley Jr., 34, of Dewberry Lane in Keavy — second-degree burglary on June 1 for entering a residence with the intent to commit a crime.

—Jeffrey R. Callahan, 44, of Evans Lane in East Bernstadt — second-degree burglary, second-degree criminal mischief, possession of drug paraphernalia and first-degree PFO on May 17. The indictment states that Callahan entered a residence with the intent to commit a crime, damaging a door and door frame and causing damages of over $500. He was also in possession of glass pipes believed to be used in illicit drug use. Callahan has three prior felony convictions in Laurel County including first-degree rape in 2001, possession of controlled substance in 2018 and failure to comply with sex offender registration in 2021.

—Vernon Edward Denney Jr., 33, of Turner Street in Somerset — first-degree strangulation, fourth-degree assault and second-degree PFO on April 10. Denney reportedly choked a female as well as hitting her in the face. Denney has a prior felony conviction in Laurel County for theft by unlawful taking over $10,000 in 2021.

An indictment is a formal charge by a grand jury and does not imply guilt or innocence of the accused person(s).