Government, The Braxton Democrat

Several have day in Circuit Court

Several Braxton County Circuit Court hearings have recently been completed by the Honorable Judge Richard A. Facemire. Braxton County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Dara A. Acord presented the state’s evidence to the court during the proceedings.
On June 1, Johnny Lee Kerr and attorney Tyler Cottrill appeared in court for a plea hearing. In the plea agreement, Kerr entered a guilty plea, to the felony offenses of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver and receiving or transferring stolen goods. The state agreed to dismiss remaining charges in the indictment and stand silent at the sentencing hearing.
Adron Harold Claypool came before Judge Facemire with his attorney Bernard Mauser to enter a guilty plea to the felony charge of driving while license revoked for DUI-3rd or subsequent offense. The state did not object to the defendant being placed on home confinement as their part of the plea agreement.
After accepting the plea agreements, Judge Facemire set the sentencing hearings for August 8.
Kasandra Dawn Utt appeared in court for her sentencing hearing with her attorney Kevin Hughart. Tyler Morlan was also present from the Braxton County Probation Office. The defense requested an alternative sentence while the state remained silent per the plea agreement. The court granted the request and suspended the one to fifteen year sentence for possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Utt was placed on five years of probation.
Ryan Seth Rollyson and his attorney Tyler Cottrill came before the court for a sentencing hearing on the felony charge of failure to appear. The defense asked the court to run his sentence concurrent to the one he is serving. The state requested incarceration and for the sentence to run consecutive to any other sentence. Judge Facemire sentenced Rollyson to one to five years in prison and for the time to run consecutively to all other sentences.
Betsy Lynn Cogar appeared before Judge Facemire with her attorney David Karickhoff. The defense requested probation and the state stayed silent per the plea agreement. The court stated she was in need of correctional treatment and would likely reoffend. On the felony offense of possession of fentanyl with intent to deliver, she was sentenced to three to fifteen years in prison.