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Hancock County grand jury indicts 22

NEW CUMBERLAND — Twenty-two people were indicted by the September term of the Hancock County grand jury, including three people who allegedly stole money or goods from their workplaces, Hancock County Prosecutor Steven F. Dragisich reports.

Grand jurors ordered 46-year-old Greggory A. Brousseau, 1257 township Road 152, Rayland, to stand trial on charges of entry of a building other than a dwelling and grand larceny.

Brousseau, then a Cleveland Cliffs employee, allegedly stole two pallets of “very expensive” tin anodes valued at more than $100,000 from the Weirton plant. Authorities allege he used a forklift to load them into a truck.

Christopher Sheldon Stafford, 3132 Main St., Weirton, and Joy Lynn Liposchak, 55, of 77 Highland St., Follansbee, each were named in separate indictments charging them with embezzlement.

Stafford, 49, allegedly took an estimated $20,000 from a lottery machine at the bus terminal in Weirton, which he managed.

Liposchak allegedly took more than $13,000 from the safe at BFS Foods in Weirton, which she managed, but never deposited the money into the business’s bank account as required.

Also indicted were:

• Carl Bentley Hicks, 21, Sandusky, unauthorized use of an access device, conspiracy and petit larceny. Hicks, 21, allegedly purchased auto parts at a business in downtown Weirton using a fraudulent debit card number called in to the business by someone he claimed was his grandfather, then after he left employees found out the card had been stolen.

• Jordan Cole Parker, 3046 Elm St. Rear, Weirton, burglary and entry of a dwelling. Parker, 32, allegedly broke into a Weirton residence.

• Raymond J. Walsh, 62, Pittsburgh, entry of a building other than a dwelling; and petit larceny. Walsh allegedly entered the office in the video lottery business where he worked and removed money, authorities said.

• Donald E. Soyka, 3428 Orchard St., Weirton, three counts of grand larceny and two counts of burglary. Soyka, 32, allegedly entered garages and other structures, removing items — including tractors and trailers – -and selling them, authorities report.

• Landon Charles Hollis, 206 Viola Lane, Follansbee, malicious assault and leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injury. Hollis, 22, allegedly struck another man with his car after an alleged bar room fight at an unnamed establishment. Authorities allege he was already in his car when he saw the other man walking out of the club and ran him down, seriously injuring him.

• Jorge Alberto Carrion Monserrate, 41, 224 Ferry Road, Apt. 14, Chester, fraudulent schemes. Monserrate allegedly purchased hardware and groceries in New Cumberland and Chester during a three-to four-month period with checks written on an account that had been closed.

• Justin Michael Johnson, 84 15th St., Wheeling, wanton endangerment involving a firearm. Authorities allege Johnson, 39, shot a rifle and the bullet was propelled through the storm door and entry door of a Weirton residence, ending up in the living room wall, putting a member of the household who was sleeping very near it at risk.

• Caitlyn Elaine Boyd, 22, 331 Grant St., East Liverpool, conspiracy and malicious assault. Boyd allegedly beat someone up, fracturing their nose and causing blunt force injuries to the individual’s head, authorities said. She was charged with conspiracy because she “allegedly had a friend with her, helping her out,” they said.

• Roger J. Mercer, Jr., 51, 408 Ridge Ave., New Cumberland, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance. Mercer was picked up with about $10,000 in cash as well as individually wrapped packages of marijuana in his possession, “showing intent to sell,” authorities allege.

• Thomas A. Jones, 49, 501 Jefferson Ave., Newell, strangulation and third offense domestic battery. Jones is alleged to have strangled his former significant other, causing injuries to the victim’s neck, authorities said.

• Eric Constantine Pietranton, 116 East Circle Drive, Weirton, obtaining money by false pretenses. Pietranton, 60, allegedly bilked an individual out of more than $20,000 for contracting work he was paid for but never completed.

• James A. Acconcia Jr., 92 Basil Drive, Weirton, burglary, entry of a dwelling, and conspiracy. Acconcia, 57, allegedly broke into a home, authorities said.

• Homer Dwayne Pierce, 89 Daisy St., Weirton, third offense domestic battery, second offense driving while his license was revoked for DUI and escape. Pierce, 51, allegedly battered an elderly family member, cut his ankle bracelet off and fled the residence in a car, driving on a revoked license.

• April Marie Henline, 39, 3629 Wood St., Weirton, malicious assault. Henline allegedly hit an individual with her fists and slashed the same person with a knife, causing serious, but not life-threatening injuries.

• Jeffrey Dale Powers II, 421 Abbey Court, Newell, grand larceny, destruction of property, burglary, entry of a dwelling. Powers, 39, allegedly entered businesses and stole copper welding leads and three welding machines.

• John Sheridan Joy, 503 East 5th St., East Liverpool, three counts of delivery of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. Joy, 41, allegedly sold meth on three occasions to a confidential informant working with the drug task force.

• Randy Neil Wheeler, 3941 Washington St., Weirton, first degree robbery and conspiracy. Wheeler, 37, with the help of friends, allegedly lured a man to a house, threatened him with a hammer and told him he had a gun, then stole his phones and other personal items.

• Kyle David Harbert, 43 McAllister Lane, Weirton, driving while license suspended or revoked for DUI third offense. Harbert, 37, has two prior convictions for the alleged offense, authorities said.

• John Stewart Machen Jr., 4317 Brooke St., Weirton, fleeing in a vehicle from a law enforcement officer while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs; fleeing from a law enforcement officer in a vehicle with reckless indifference; driving while license revoked for driving under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs; and second offense driving under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs.

• Three convicted sex offenders were indicted for failing to meet lifetime requirements that they register within 10 days of any lifestyle changes, including cell phone numbers, employment, vehicles and their home address. Each missed reporting requirement is considered a separate count. Named in those indictments were Raymond N. Auten Jr., 37, 2076 National Road, Wheeling, five counts of failing to register; Scott K. Nale, 53, 1232 Glencairn Road, Weirton, four counts of failing to register; and David Alan Popola, 47, 144 Stevens St., Wintersville, a single count of failing to register.

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