WELLSBURG — A local man accused of holding a woman against her will, cutting her with a knife, and robbing a local church is among 23 who were indicted by a Brooke County grand jury on Monday.

Robert Allan Baker, 53, who has no fixed address, was indicted for breaking and entering, conspiring, malicious assault and kidnapping.

According to the indictment, Baker broke into a church to steal a safe from it on Oct. 23, attempted to strangle a woman known to him on Feb. 24, 2023, cut her hand with a knife on Oct. 28 and held the woman against her will on Nov. 30.

Brooke County Prosecutor Joseph Barki III said Baker had held the woman for 24 hours, under threat of violence, in a vacant house where he had lived when the house’s owner arrived, holding Baker at gunpoint while he waited for police to arrive.

Barki said Baker was able to flee from the house but was apprehended with the help of the Brooke County Sheriff’s Department’s K-9 unit. Wellsburg Police also were involved in the arrest.

In connection with the case, Cynthia Brown, 45, also with no fixed address, was indicted for allegedly breaking into and entering the church and conspiring with Baker to do so.

Also indicted was Sean Johnson, 33, of 81 Virginia Ave., Follansbee, on three counts of attempted death of a child.

According to the indictment, a woman close to Johnson told Follansbee Police he had thrown away medication prescribed for him for schizophrenia and after stabbing a closet door with a butcher knife, appeared over her as she was sleeping.

The woman said she believed Johnson was going to attempt to choke her and that he had written a note stating his plan to kill his family. Police said Johnson told them he had heard voices telling him to do so.

Also indicted were:

• Wesley Rine, 30, who has no fixed address, was indicted for cruelty to animals for allegedly leaving a dog locked in his former home, resulting in its death.

• Rodney Taylor, 32, of 1589 Washington Pike, Wellsburg, was indicted for four counts each of first- and second-degree sexual abuse and two counts each of first- and second-degree sexual assault.

• Daniel Gallahan, 40, of 700 Scenery Hill Road North, Wellsburg, was indicted for child abuse resulting in injury and third-offense domestic battery for allegedly striking a child in his care in the face, leaving bruises, and jumping on a woman known to him, putting his hands on her throat and shoving her repeatedly.

• Raphael Butler Jr., 21, of Steubenville, and Elijah McGaughey, 22, of Steubenville, were both indicted for malicious assault and conspiring for allegedly punching and kicking another man, resulting in a broken jaw and other injuries for the man.

• Mary E. Miller, 49, of 533 Rockdale Road, Follansbee, was indicted on two counts of child neglect creating substantial risk of injury or death for allegedly barricading herself in her home while under the influence of drugs and leaving the oven door open to heat the home while her small child was present.

• Stephanie L. Yost, 32, of 1188 Rabbit Hill Road, Wellsburg, was indicted on a charge of driving under the influence of a controlled substance with minors and two counts of gross child neglect creating substantial risk of injury or death for the two children who were present with her.

Also indicted were:

• Brian D. Barr, 20, 3006 Elm St., Weirton, on wanton endangerment with a firearm for allegedly firing shots into the side of a Weirton home and possession of a deadly weapon by a person under 21.

• Bradley L. Birkhimer, 39, 23 Payton Drive, Weirton, for third-offense shoplifting.

• Koleton B. Caruso, 23, of Glen Easton, W.Va., for attempted grand larceny and entering a building other than a dwelling for allegedly attempting to break into an automated teller machine at a Wellsburg business.

• Tyreese Collins, 33, 609 Trenton St., Toronto, for third-offense driving under the influence.

• Jamie D. Eltringham, 57, 123 Walker Road, Follansbee; Eltringham’s son, Jamie, also of 123 Walker Road; Matthew Forrester, no age given, of 125 Walker Road; and Dennis Kenkella, 45, of Slovan, Pa., all for embezzlement, fraudulent scheme, grand larceny and conspiring.

According to the indictment, the four former employees of a local scrap metal business allegedly stole more than $297,666 in cash from their employer and modified the weights of scrap metal sold to it for their benefit.

• Margaret Ferrari, 57, of Follansbee, destruction of property and failure to fingerprint.

• Chrystal M. Hague, 38, of Steubenville, grand larceny and conspiring for allegedly stealing a vehicle and conspiring with two others, previously indicted, to break into a Wellsburg home.

• Justin S. Pramesa, 37, 60 Irish Estates, Wellsburg, for burglary for allegedly stealing food from a Wellsburg home.

• Christopher S. Stafford, 49, 178 Culler Road, Weirton, for embezzlement and grand larceny for allegedly stealing more than $1,000 from the Weirton business where he worked.

• Brian K. Ziarko, 51, 1221 Swearingen Road, Weirton, two counts each of entering a building other than a home and grand larceny for allegedly taking more than $1,000 in materials from a Weirton business.