Over 50 indicted by Whitley County grand jury

Mara Miller, The Times-Tribune, Corbin, Ky.
·6 min read

Jun. 23—WILLIAMSBURG — After being arrested and being released on bond and then arrested again after a 40-mile pursuit within 24 hours, two Michigan men received indictments from a Whitley County grand jury this week.

Mathew Rajon, 38, of Detroit, Michigan and Nathaniel Nix, 33, of Roseville, Michigan were each charged with first-degree fleeing or evading the police, trafficking marijuana of more than 8 ounces but less than 5 pounds — first offense, nine counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, third-degree criminal trespass, three counts of first-degree criminal mischief, and leaving the scene of an accident.

The first arrest of Rajon and Nix occurred on May 23 near Exit 15 along Prewitt Bend Road around midnight, according to a press release from the Williamsburg Police Department. Investigating officers said they believe the suspects hid additional contraband somewhere along Prewitt Bend Road, but after officers conducted a search of the area, no additional contraband was found at that time.

Both Nix and Rajon were lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center and were released on bond by 10:25 a.m. May 23.

On May 24, Rajon and Nix returned to Prewitt Bend Road, trespassed on private property a second time, retrieved a large amount of contraband, and again fled from law enforcement, according to a Williamsburg Police Department press release.

An approximately 40-mile pursuit ensued, where the suspects traveled at a high rate of speed along Prewitt Bend Road, US Highway 25-W, and I-75, which eventually ended at the seven-mile marker just south of Williamsburg, the press release said. During the pursuit, the fleeing suspects struck a vehicle and continued to flee. WPD officers used spike strips two different times to disable the fleeing vehicle and then used additional force to completely end the pursuit.

During a search of the vehicle, officers found approximately one pound of suspected marijuana and over $5,000 in cash.

Rajon and Nix's indictments were only two of over 50 indictments returned from the grand jury. The other indictments include:

Caleb King, 20, of Williamsburg: first-degree promotion contraband

Phillip Lawson, 58, of Williamsburg: first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, first offense

Stephen Cureton, 51, of Williamsburg: first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, first offense

Sheila Reece, 55, of Corbin: second-degree forgery

Eddie Kidd, 55, of Pine Knot: one count of first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia

Ronnie Wilson, 40, of Strunk: one count of first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia

Destiny Hill, 24, of Williamsburg: one count of first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia

Ashley Myers, 35: two counts of first-degree possession of a controlled substance

Billy Denham, 51: first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and first-degree possession of drug paraphernalia

Sam Smith, 50, of Rockhold: first-degree possession of a controlled substance, second offense

John Blankenship, 31, of Gray: first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia

Crystal Warman, 38, of Corbin: first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia

Ronald Canada, 52, of Williamsburg: Cultivating marijuana 5 or more plants

Marcella Canada, 47, of Williamsburg: Cultivating marijuana 5 or more plants

Tony Canada, 28, of Williamsburg: Cultivating marijuana 5 or more plants

Daniel Smith, 33, of Lily: second-degree burglary.

Bobby Canada, 35, of Willamsburg: first-degree robbery by allegedly using a hammer as a dangerous instrument to threaten the owner at Canada Town Market.

Wendell Canada, 48, of Williamsburg: first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, second-degree fleeing or evading the police

Damon Bennett, 44, of Williamsburg: first-degree possession of a controlled substance, second offense

Crystal May, 48, of Williamsburg: first-degree, second offense possession of a controlled substance, third-degree possession of a controlled substance

Tammy Blakely, 53, of Williamsburg: first-degree trafficking of a controlled substance

Martha Higginbotham, 50, of Williamsburg: first-degree and first offense for trafficking in a controlled substance

Jeffery Lambdin, 36, of Williamsburg: Fourth offense operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants, driving a motor vehicle while license is revoked or suspended, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia

Ronnie Richmond, 27, of Williamsburg: first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance; importing heroin, carfentanil, and fentanyl derivatives; first-degree possession of a controlled substance; possession of drug paraphernalia

Patrick Spicer, 31, of Clinton Tennessee: first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance; importing heroin, carfentanil, fentanyl, or fentanyl derivatives; first-degree possession of a controlled substance; possession of drug paraphernalia; second-degree persistent felony offender

Vincent Martin, 33, of Williamsburg: first-degree escape, four counts of third-degree assault by using force and spitting on 2 EMS workers and two Whitley County Detention Center employees, first-degree persistent felony offender

Brandon Sharp, 31, of Clinton, Tennessee: first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance; importing heroin, carfentanil, fentanyl, or fentanyl derivatives; first-degree possession of a controlled substance; first-degree possession of drug paraphernalia; promoting contraband

Curtis Johnson III, 27, of Williamsburg: first-degree possession of a controlled substance

William Church, 18, of Williamsburg: receiving stolen property-firearm

Dalton Powers, 20: second-degree burglary and first-degree criminal mischief

Troy Drummond, 54, of Oneida Tennessee: Theft by unlawful taking of the value of $1,000 or more and first-degree criminal mischief

Travis Partin, 39, of Jellico, Tennessee: second-degree burglary, and two counts of theft by unlawful taking of value of $1,000 or more

Erika Smith, 33, of Williamsburg: first-degree possession of a controlled substance

Stanton Colby Fritts, 36, of Williamsburg: first-degree for possession of a controlled substance

Jerry Fritts, 60, of Williamsburg: first-degree possession of a controlled substance

Bridget Crabtree, 44, of Rockholds: first-degree possession of a controlled substance, promoting contraband, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants

Leonard Slaughter, 47, of Williamsburg: first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia

James Mason, 33, of Rockholds: first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia

Tyler Cupp, 21, of Williamsburg: first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, promoting contraband

Ronnie Teague, 32, of Williamsburg: Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants, second offense; third-degree possession of a controlled substance; five counts of first-degree wanton endangerment

Dustin White, 25, of Williamsburg: first-degree possession of a controlled substance

Andy Lewis, 35, of Williamsburg: first-degree trafficking of a controlled substance, second offense

Stella Collins, 47, of Williamsburg: first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance

Karen Lawson, 52, of Williamsburg: first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance

Doc Lawson, 66, of Williamsburg: first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance

Christopher Hollingsworth, 38, of Williamsburg: Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

Gary Brown, 46, of Williamsburg: first-degree possession of a controlled substance; third-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants

Tina Hicks, 44, of Williamsburg: first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia

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