The Washington County Grand Jury returned 16 indictments last week, with charges ranging from kidnapping and assault to drug trafficking and identity fraud. One of the most serious cases involves a Wood County man accused of kidnapping and causing a crash that injured the victim during a police pursuit.
Ethan Michael Falls, 21, of Mineral Wells, West Virginia, faces multiple charges, including kidnapping, two counts of failure to comply with a police order, and vehicular assault. The alleged incident occurred on March 25, when Falls reportedly kidnapped an individual, fled from law enforcement, and caused injuries to the victim in a vehicle crash during the pursuit.
The grand jury also indicted several others on various felony charges, including drug-related offenses, violent crimes, and white-collar crimes:
Additional Indictments:
- Carla Y. Clark, 41, of Stockport – Failure to appear in court as required (4th-degree felony) from March 18.
- Carl Edward Rouse III, 48, homeless – Trespassing in an occupied habitation (4th-degree felony) from March 7.
- Matthew Kevin Root, 40, of Coolville – Charged in two separate cases:
- Receiving stolen property (4th-degree felony) from January 14.
- Breaking and entering (5th-degree felony) and theft from a protected class individual (4th-degree felony) from December 2023.
- Megan Nicole Trefz, 35, of Williamstown – Forgery (5th-degree felony) from December 2024.
- Zane Aaron Walker, 44, of Marietta – Strangulation (4th-degree felony) and assault (1st-degree misdemeanor) from November 2024.
- Tiffany Grace Besserman, 45, of Quaker City – Identity fraud (4th-degree felony) from September 2022.
- Travis Ray Preston, 43, of Paintsville, Kentucky –
- Trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound (1st-degree felony)
- Possession of a fentanyl-related compound (1st-degree felony)
- Operating a vehicle under the influence (1st-degree misdemeanor)
Charges stem from a March 18 incident.
- Trevor Lee Sorrell, 32, of Millfield – Aggravated drug possession (5th-degree felony) from September 2023.
- Dusty Lynn Ferguson, 38, of Marietta – Attempted felonious assault (3rd-degree felony) from February 28.
- Robert Scott Wingrove, 61, of Little Hocking – Passing bad checks (5th-degree felony) from July 2024.
- Charles A. Roberts, 45, last known address Beverly – Arson (4th-degree felony) from May 2023.
- Justin Michael Davis, 42, of Belpre –
- Having weapons under disability (3rd-degree felony)
- Grand theft involving a firearm (3rd-degree felony)
Charges date back to February 18.
- Kevin William Ritchie, 20, of Marietta –
- Improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle (5th-degree felony)
- Operating a vehicle under the influence (1st-degree misdemeanor) from February 22.
- Joshua Paul Young, 43, currently at FCI McDowell in West Virginia –
- Failure to comply with police (3rd-degree felony)
- Receiving stolen property (4th-degree felony) from September 2023.
- David Ray Johns, 41, of Crab Orchard, West Virginia – Aggravated drug possession (5th-degree felony) from July 2024.
The indictments reflect a wide range of criminal activity in the region, from violent offenses to drug crimes and financial fraud. Legal proceedings for these cases will continue in the Washington County courts in the coming weeks.
