18 indictments were handed down by a Knox County Grand Jury, on December 7. Arraignments are scheduled for December 18 in the Common Pleas Court before Judge Otho Eyster.

According to Knox County Prosecutor John Thatcher, Lester A, Moore, 37, Marengo, was indicted on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and marihuana. On the night of July 4, Moore was traveling westbound on Sparta Road near Fredericktown, on a Honda Shadow motorcycle. Connie Fyffe, 38, was his passenger. Moore allegedly failed to negotiate a curve, slide off the road and overturned the motorcycle ejecting both occupants. Fyffe was seriously injured and died as the result of the injuries she sustained in the crash, on August 1. Thatcher said tests conducted at the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s crime lab revealed Moore allegedly had a blood alcohol level of 0.128 at the time of the crash. Moore allegedly tested positive for marihuana, as well. Trooper Joshua Stryker, OSHP, investigated the case.

Vicci L. Sapp, 45, Danville, was also indicted on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol for allegedly causing the death of Angela R. Heldenbrand, 41, on November 14. Thatcher said at approximately 1:30 a.m., Sapp was eastbound on U.S. Route 62 near Danville, driving her Chrysler Sebring convertible. Heldenbrand was Sapp’s passenger. Sapp allegedly struck and barrel rolled over a guardrail ejecting Heldenbrand from the vehicle during the collision. Dr. Jennifer Ogle, Knox County Coroner, pronounced Heldenbrand dead at the scene of the crash. According to the indictment, the level of alcohol in Sapp’s breath was 0.184, and she had a prohibited concentration of alcohol in her urine. Sapp also allegedly failed all of the field sobriety tests administered by Trooper Matthew Them, OSHP.

On October 29, Robert W. Lively, 44, Mount Vernon, allegedly struck several vehicles on North Sandusky Street with his white pickup truck. Several Mount Vernon Police Officers attempted to stop Lively, but he allegedly ran from them and struck part of a house and other vehicles, on Jefferson Street. Thatcher said after driving through several yards, Lively finally crashed his truck into a tree, on South Harrison Street. A blood test later revealed Lively was allegedly driving with a blood-alcohol level of .338. Patrolmen Brian Weiser and Qade Lewis, MVPD, handled the case.

Ronald B. Dumont, 45, Mount Vernon, faces his sixth charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol in 20 years as the result of allegedly driving under the influence, on November 5. Thatcher said Dumont is also charged with refusing to submit to a chemical test for alcohol after being asked to do so by Corporal Scott McKnight, MVPD.

Kelly R. Bessette, 46, Mount Vernon, is accused of illegal cultivation of marihuana and possession of marihuana. On October 29 at approximately 10 p.m., the Knox County Sheriff’s Special Response Team executed a search warrant at a residence on Big Run Road. Bessette was allegedly found there in a room with 34 marihuana plants growing in pots under fluorescent lights. SRT officers allegedly found a second room with 32 marihuana plants, and equipment commonly used in cultivating marihuana indoors was found throughout the house. Detective David Light, KCSO, investigated the case.

On September 25, Trooper Neil Laughlin’s traffic stop on Columbus Road eventually led to the discovery of an alleged indoor marihuana grow in a Howard Street residence. After Cole R. Hauger, 25, Mount Vernon, was pulled over for a traffic violation, Laughlin found “hydro rocks” in Hauger’s vehicle. Thatcher explained that “hydro rocks” are commonly used in indoor marihuana growing operations. 35 marihuana plants, individual bags of harvested marihuana, grow lights and other equipment, and more “hydro rocks” were allegedly found in Hauger’s residence during a search conducted by Laughlin and other OSHP and MVPD Officers. Hauger is charged with illegal cultivation of marihuana and possession of marihuana.

Shawn P. Davern, 22, Mount Vernon, was allegedly found in possession of 1.2 grams of crack cocaine during a traffic stop on Columbus Road, on June 27. Sergeant John Rine, KCSO, handled the case.

On eight occasions between November 2008 and April 2009, Joseph E. Ford, 48, Mount Vernon, allegedly obtained prescription drugs under false pretenses. Thatcher said on November 9, Deputy Dan Bobo, KCSO, received information that Ford allegedly altered a prescription that he attempted to fill at a local pharmacy. Through investigation, Bobo determined Ford obtained prescriptions from numerous doctors, primarily for Oxycodone and Hydrocodone, without telling the doctors he already had prescriptions for the same drugs. Ford is charged with eight counts of deception to obtain dangerous drugs.

James A. Lyons, 37, Danville, is accused of rape and gross sexual imposition. Thatcher said on several occasions between August 2007-2008, Lyons allegedly engaged in sexual activity with two girls, ages ten and 14. Detective Tom Bumpus and Detective Sergeant Roger Brown, KCSO, investigated the case with the assistance of Knox County Children’s Services.

Shane P. Hansen, 18, Fredericktown, and Keith C. Brandenburg, 24, Mount Vernon, are charged with failing to provide change of address notifications to the Sheriff’s Office. Both men are convicted sex offenders. Thatcher said Hansen was convicted of gross sexual imposition in Franklin County, in 2007, and Brandenburg was convicted of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in Knox County, in 2008. Detective Sergeant Brown investigated the cases.

Justin E. Brown, 24, Mount Vernon, is charged with breaking and entering for allegedly breaking into a Coshocton Road store, on August 1 and 15 and again on November 9. Brown is also charged with safecracking for allegedly stealing money from the store’s safe. Brittney N. Taylor, 22, Mount Vernon, is accused of complicity in the commission of breaking and entering for allegedly aiding and abetting Brown during the break-ins. Taylor is also charged with corrupting a minor with drugs for allegedly using heroin while breastfeeding her two-year old child, according to Thatcher. Detective Craig Feeney, MVPD, investigated the cases.

Andrew D. Wilson, 31, Mount Vernon, faces a theft of a firearm charge for allegedly stealing an 8mm rifle from a Catherine Street residence, on November 9. Wilson allegedly admitted to Detective David McElroy, MVPD, that he stole the rife to trade it for drugs.

Jessica R. Bayless, 22, Mount Vernon, allegedly passed a forged check at a Mount Vernon grocery store, on September 5. Thatcher said the check was allegedly stolen. Bayless is accused of forgery and possessing a stolen check. Detective Sergeant Jeff Jacobs, MVPD, investigated the case.

Mary A. Miller, 35, Baltic, Ohio, is charged with extortion for allegedly blackmailing a 55 year old Utica area man out of $40,000.00, on March 14. Thatcher said Miller allegedly told the man she would pay some of the $40,000.00 to the owner of a certain privately owned website to remove allegations from the website that the man had sexually abused several children. Detective Light, KCSO, investigated the case.

According to their indictments, Andrew C. Hinkle, 21, and Geoffrey S. Hinkle, 23, Mount Vernon, were both convicted of failing to confine vicious dogs in the Mount Vernon Municipal Court, on September 11. On November 17, both men allegedly failed to confine their pit bulls. Thatcher explained that the previous convictions make the current allegations felonies. Knox County Animal Control Officer Larry Williams investigated the cases.