Trial date set for Perry County man accused in Corbin robbery

Sep. 28—WILLIAMSBURG — A Perry County man has been scheduled to stand trial next spring in connection to the August 2022 armed robbery of a Corbin jewelry story.

Lonnie Huff, 46, of Hazard, was indicted by a Whitley County grand jury last November on charges of first-degree robbery and first-degree persistent felony offenderbfor his suspected role in the August 19, 2022 robbery of Lloyd Williams Jewelry.

Investigating officer Detective Robbie Hodge of Corbin Police told media at the time of Huff's arrest that "he made away with a substantial amount of jewelry" in the incident which also saw the perpetrator(s) zip-tie the owner and duct taped his mouth.

Commonwealth Attorney's Ronnie Bowling offered Huff 30 years last week in a pretrial conference but Huff and his defense attorney declined.

"I won't be offering him anything else. The trial will be expected to last three days," Bowling said. "We are prepared on our end."

That trial has been scheduled to start next April 16.

Huff is currently serving a 15-year sentence for Perry County charges at the Southeast State Correctional Complex.

Several other cases were either resolved or moved forward last week in Whitley County Circuit Court:

—Leslie Lee Lawson, 54, Corbin, was sentenced to 10 years on charges of first-degree fleeing or evading police (on foot), first-degree criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking or disposition of $1,000 or more but less than $10,000; and possession of burglary tools.

Those charges stem from an incident that occurred at Red Roof Inn in Corbin on December 28, 2021 and investigated by Corbin Police.

After further investigation, several green totes of merchandise that had been reported stolen from a semi trailer parked at the Best Western motel in Corbin on Dec. 6 were found at Lawson's Laurel County residence.

Lawson remained lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center at press time.

—Hope Lunsford, 44, of Corbin, was sentenced to a year in prison by Circuit Judge Paul Winchester after pleading guilty last month to tampering with a witness.

Lunsford was indicted last May alongside Darrell Edward Lunsford, 52, also of Corbin. Mr. Lunsford has been charged with first-degree sexual abuse in connection to a March 2023 incident and is scheduled to appear back in court on October 26 for a pretrial conference.

It was said in court that Darrell Lunsford was having a hard time finding someone to represent him due to the nature of the case.

Both remain lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center at press time.

—Jessie James Morgan, 38, of Corbin, pleaded guilty to one count of use of a minor under 16 in a sex performance.

"The Commonwealth recommended a 20-year prison sentence for unlawful use of a minor in a sexual performance," Bowling said. "He is a lifetime sex offender."

Final sentencing has been scheduled for December 18.

—Alexandra M. Ward, 20, of Corbin, has been charged with complicity to commit murder and complicity to commit first-degree strangulation in the alleged murder of her three-year-old — appearing in court for motion hour.

The Commonwealth requested a hair sample from Ward for comparison after an examination of the toddler's body revealed a hair found in the child's diaper.

Jordan Blake Taylor, 22, of Corbin — Ward's boyfriend at the time who is charged with murder and strangulation — has already had his hair sample taken.

Bowling noted in court that they didn't think the hair would belong to Ward, but they were taking precautionary measures in the investigation of the toddler's death.

Ward is scheduled to have a status hearing in court on November 20.

"That could change if the defense files a motion for an adversarial bond hearing, but nothing is pending right now," Bowling said.

Under Kentucky law, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.