Executive Summary
- A Lawrence County grand jury indicted 15 individuals on various felony charges last week.
- Serious charges include aggravated burglary, strangulation, and felonious assault.
- Multiple defendants face charges related to property crimes, drug possession, and evading police.
IRONTON, Ohio — A Lawrence County grand jury issued indictments against 15 individuals last week, bringing formal charges that range from aggravated burglary and strangulation to drug possession and failure to comply with police orders. The indictments represent the formal accusation by the grand jury and initiate the prosecution phase for the named defendants.
According to court filings, several individuals face serious charges involving violence and home invasion. Ean D. Brown, 25, of South Point, was indicted on charges of aggravated burglary, strangulation, disrupting public service, and possession of a fentanyl-related compound. Similarly, Steven Shane Overbee, 50, of Wurtland, Kentucky, was indicted on charges of strangulation and disrupting public services. John R. Davis, 45, of South Point, faces a charge of felonious assault.
Property crimes and burglary constituted a significant portion of the charges filed. The grand jury indicted Kevin Shawn Salyers, 37, of Proctorville; Jodie Spring Stone, 28, of Charleston; and Joseph Timothy Elmore, 39, of South Charleston, West Virginia, on separate charges of burglary. Additionally, Sean F. James, 34, of Ironton, was indicted on two counts of receiving stolen property, theft, and aggravated possession of methamphetamine. Harry Ray Marcum, 55, of Proctorville, was charged with theft.
Law enforcement interactions resulted in several additional charges regarding non-compliance and escape. Steven Smith Jr., 38, of Franklin Furnace, was indicted for tampering with evidence, escape, and vandalism, specifically alleged to have cut off an ankle monitor. Charges of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer were levied against Buddy Allen Jenkins of Ironton; William M. Jervis, 34, of Ashland; and Kyle E. Clement, 51, of Ironton. Clement also faces two felony counts of violating a protection order. Drug-related charges were filed against Ronnie Ward, 50, of South Point, for aggravated possession of methamphetamine, and Russell Lee Ferguson, 35, of Gallipolis, for possession of a fentanyl-related compound.
Judicial Process and Rights
These indictments signal the commencement of felony proceedings in the Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas, where the defendants will be arraigned and enter pleas. An indictment represents a formal charge brought by a grand jury and does not constitute evidence of guilt. It is important to note that all individuals named in these documents are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
