Private coach accused of misconduct with minor

A South Point man accused of sexual misconduct with a minor pleaded not guilty to sexual battery, a third-degree felony, in Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Charles Cooper’s courtroom Tuesday.

According to the indictment, on or about April 1, 2017 through July 19, 2017 in Lawrence County, Joey M. Payne, 38, of 95 Private Drive 5823, South Point, engaged in sexual conduct with a minor, while serving as the victim’s athletic or other type of coach or instructor. Payne was allegedly assisting the victim with her softball skills, but was a private coach and had no affiliation with South Point schools.

Cooper set bond at $50,000 OR to go along with a bond Payne is currently on in Kentucky with GPS monitoring. If Payne’s bond changes in Kentucky, he must report it to Lawrence County

Common Pleas Court. Pretrial was set for Nov. 11.

In other cases:

• Ryan W. Debord, 35, of 110 East Street, Apt. 29, Flatwoods, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), a fifth-degree felony, and tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony. He was eligible for intervention in lieu of conviction, and Cooper ordered him to complete treatment at Mended Reeds and placed him on community-controlled sanctions (CCS) for one year.

• Deborah Douglas, 38, of 188 Township Road 1211, South Point, pleaded not guilty to possession of heroin, a felony of the fifth-degree. Cooper set bond at $7,500 cash or surety and $25,000 OR. Pretrial was set for Oct. 25.

• Buddy Hardy, 34, of 26 Private Drive 1633, Chesapeake, pleaded not guilty to breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony. Cooper set bond at $20,000 property and $20,000 OR. Pretrial was set for Nov. 1.

• Angela M. Hopper, 46, of 627 Fourth Ave., Huntington, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to aggravated possession of drugs (crystal methamphetamine), a fifth-degree felony. She was eligible for intervention in lieu of conviction, and Cooper ordered her to complete treatment at Mended Reeds and placed her on CCS for one year.

• Ian J. Lewis, 42, of 11 Township Road 1485, South Point, pleaded not guilty to two counts of possession of drugs, one for heroin and the other for Oxycodone, both felonies of the fifth-degree. Cooper set bond at $1,500 cash or surety and $25,000 OR. Pretrial was set for Nov. 2.

• Magan R. Richmond, 30, of 27 Private Drive 187, Apt. 8, South Point, pleaded not guilty to possession of drugs (Oxycodone), a fifth-degree felony. Cooper set bond at $2,500 cash or surety and $25,000 OR. Pretrial was set for Nov. 1.

• Jerry D. Stapleton, 37, of 809 N. Fourth Street, Ironton, admitted CCS violations. In another case, he is also facing charges of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony, and possession of drugs (methamphetamine), a fifth-degree felony, in which he hasn’t yet plead. Cooper held sentencing on his CCS violations until the other case proceeds.

• Clifford P. Stiles, 47, of 2965 Gephard Road, Wheelersburg, pleaded not guilty to assault on a peace officer, a felony of the fourth-degree. Cooper set bond at $15,000 cash or surety and $25,000 OR. Pretrial was set for Oct. 25.

• Sheila M. Walls, 59, of 103 Township Road 323, Ironton, pleaded not guilty to theft, a fifth-degree felony. Cooper set bond at $25,000 OR. Pretrial was set for Nov. 1.

• Misty Ashworth, 40, of 901 Fifth Ave., Huntington, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony. Judge Andy Ballard sentenced her to four years CCS with 36 months reserved, and ordered her to complete treatment, pay court costs and complete 200 hours community service.

• Terren C. Jenkins, 25, of 258 County Road 52, Private Drive 4649, Coal Grove, admitted CCS violations. Ballard sentenced him to nine months in prison.

• Dean A. Montroso, 46, of 1453 County Road 1, South Point, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs (Oxycodone), a felony of the third-degree. Ballard sentenced him to four years CCS under intensive supervised probation (ISP) with 11 months reserved, and ordered him to be placed on house arrest for 90 days, pay court costs and complete 200 hours community service.

• Charles R. Schob II, 46, of 2543 S. Fifth Street, Ironton, pleaded guilty to trafficking in heroin and complicity to trafficking in heroin, both fourth-degree felonies. Ballard sentenced him to nine months in prison with credit for time served and three years post-release control, and ordered him to pay court costs.

• Branden L. Sites, age unknown, of 1947 County Road 415, Pedro, pleaded not guilty to complicity to counterfeit a controlled substance, a fourth-degree felony. Ballard set bond at $50,000 cash or surety and $100,000 OR.

• Dimitrie Thomas, 43, of 10394 Beechdale Street, Detroit, Michigan, previously pleaded not guilty to trafficking in drugs (Oxycodone), a fourth-degree felony, and aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the second-degree. On Tuesday, he rejected the state’s final offer of six years. He is facing eight years on each count to run concurrently. Ballard set trial for Nov. 16 and 17.

• Charles Waddell, 41, of 514 Railroad Street, Ironton, previously pleaded not guilty to felonious assault, a second-degree felony. Ballard set trial for Nov. 27 and 28.