Arrests Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Former Contract Nurse At Sharpe Hospital Arrested For Murder

Tamra Jo Garvin was arrested on Nov. 7 and her “assignment at Sharpe Hospital was terminated, effective Nov. 8th,” according to a statement from the Department of Health and Human Resources’ (DHHR) Interim Cabinet Secretary, Sherri Young.

A former contract nurse at William R. Sharpe, Jr. Hospital was arrested on the charge of first-degree murder in an incident unrelated to the hospital.

Sharpe Hospital is an acute care psychiatric facility under the direction of the West Virginia DHHR. The facility has come under scrutiny in the past few years over its alleged mistreatment of patients.

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Young’s statement goes on to explain that before Garvin was hired at Sharpe Hospital, she underwent “a comprehensive fingerprint-based federal and state background check through WV CARES.”

This screening revealed no cause for concern at the time, but Young stated WV Cares monitors criminal records and notifies authorities of any changes in criminal record information.

Garvin is currently being held in the Central Regional Jail.

More Than $800,000 Will Help W.Va. Sexual Assault Victims

U.S. government statistics reveal one in six women will experience an attempted or completed rape at some time in her life, and it is estimated that a majority of female rape victims are younger than age 18.

The $801,797.00 in federal grant funds announced by Gov. Jim Justice on Thursday will provide core services, direct intervention, and related assistance to victims of sexual violence at the state’s 12 regional rape crisis centers.

Nancy Hoffman, state coordinator with the West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information and Services, said this money pays for frontline assistance.

“It does provide the opportunity for our centers to do 24/7 crisis intervention,” Hoffman said. “To have phone lines and advocates available 24/7 to go to the hospitals with victims for support if they have a forensic exam.”

The annual funding is administered through the West Virginia Sexual Assault Services Program. Hoffman said it’s not a new revenue stream.

“This is actually the 15th year of the funding,” Hoffman said. “It has increased over the years and enables our 12 regional rape crisis centers to be able to provide those services. When the funds first were appropriated on the federal level, those funds only supported nine centers in the state. Now, with increased funding, we are able to support 12.”

Hoffman said while the grant is large, providing 24/7 crisis intervention for all 55 counties carries a cost that averages out to $14,545 per county. She says it doesn’t cover all that’s needed.

“We are reliant on support from the state,” she said. “We’re reliant on other grants and community donations to be able to provide those services.”

Hoffman said West Virginia statistics mirror those numbers.

She said West Virginia’s arrest rates are remarkably low, noting that in 2019, 88 percent of the sexual assaults that were reported to law enforcement were not cleared, and only 9 percent were cleared by arrest.

Hoffman said about only one third of sexual assault victims actually do report to law enforcement, so the reporting numbers are low.

“That’s something that we’re certainly looking into with our partners,” Hoffman said. “We’re hoping that the legislature will consider doing a study on that to see if we can drill down even deeper to determine why people are reluctant to report.”

Grant County Man Arrested In Connection To Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

An Eastern Panhandle man connected to the Jan. 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol was arrested by the FBI last Friday in Martinsburg.

Documents from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia show a complaint was filed against John Thomas Gordon of Grant County along with an arrest warrant.

The charges against him include civil disorder, destruction of government property, entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building, disorderly conduct in a capitol building, and an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds.

The case’s statement of facts said Gordon repeatedly threw an object at the Capitol’s North Door in an attempt to break in, citing video evidence from YouTube and an interview with someone close to him.

The case is currently being prosecuted by the district court and is being investigated by the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office.

This is the seventh arrest made in West Virginia attached to the U.S. Capitol breach and the third made in Martinsburg, according to an online database of the cases from the United States Attorney’s Office.

W.Va. National Guard Member Latest Arrest In January 6 Insurrection Investigation

Last week, federal officers arrested West Virginia National Guard aerospace medical technician, Sgt. Jamie Lynn Ferguson. The 45-year-old Virginia resident faces four federal charges.

Last week, federal officers arrested West Virginia National Guard aerospace medical technician, Sgt. Jamie Lynn Ferguson. The 45-year-old Virginia resident faces four federal charges: entering and remaining in a restricted building; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and parading; demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. She said she was wearing a sweatshirt with “Trump Girl” on it when illegally inside the U.S. Capitol.

Four West Virginians have already pleaded guilty to crimes involved in the January 6th insurrection.

Former Wayne County delegate Derrick Evans resigned his elected office after being arrested. His charges include: one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol Grounds. His sentencing is set for June. He faces up to a five year prison term and fines of up to $250,000.

Former Parkersburg councilman Eric Barber was charged with: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a capitol building or grounds; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building. Barbour admitted he wore a Kevlar helmet into the Capitol and stole a charger from a C-SPAN station. He is awaiting a June sentencing.

Jeffery Finley of Martinsburg is president of the Proud Boys West Virginia chapter. His charges include: knowingly entering and remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct in any restricted buildings or grounds. His sentencing is set for July.

Surveillance video from U.S. Capitol Police shows West Virginia resident Gracyn Courtright carrying a “Members Only” sign inside the Capitol on Jan. 6.

College student Gracyn Courtright of Hurricane has served her 30 days for entering a restricted building. She had to perform 60 days of community service and pay $500 in restitution.

Additionally, Morgantown’s George Tanios was accused of assaulting three Capitol police officers with pepper spray. His charges include: assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon; conspiracy to injure an officer; civil disorder and obstructing or impeding any official proceeding; physical violence on restricted grounds while carrying a dangerous weapon and resulting in significant bodily injury; violent entry and disorderly conduct in an act of physical violence on Capitol Grounds. His plea negotiation continues.

Police say about 800 protesters stormed the U.S Capitol on that day.

Authorities Arrest 4 Who Entered West Virginia Coal Mine

Authorities in West Virginia say they’ve arrested the four people who entered an idle coal mine earlier this month.

Kayla Williams and Erica Treadway surrendered to authorities Wednesday on charges including entering without breaking. Authorities say they entered the inactive Rock House Powellton Mine along with Eddie Williams Jr. and Cody Beverly.

Eddie Williams left the mine two days later, and authorities later rescued the other three. Eddie Williams and Beverly surrendered to authorities Friday on similar charges.

A criminal complaint filed in Raleigh County Magistrate Court says the four entered the mine to steal copper wire. Beverly has told The Register-Herald that their lights went out shortly after entering the mine and chaos ensued, prompting Eddie Williams to leave in search of help.

Delegates Debate Over Increased Penalties for Drug Trafficking

Members in the House of Delegates have considered a number of bills this legislative session that increase the penalties for breaking various laws. At least three of those bills have focused on drug crimes which Republican lawmakers say is in response to the state’s substance abuse epidemic.

According to the West Virginia Health Statistics Center, 818 people died of a drug overdose in 2016 – a nearly 13 percent increase over the previous year. The Center also reports 86 percent of those deaths in 2016 were linked to at least one opioid.

Those growing numbers are why Republican legislative leaders say they’re pursuing bills like House Bill 2579.

The bill increases the minimum amount of jail-time attached to a drug trafficking offense, or someone who gets caught bringing drugs into the state. The minimum sentence would increase from one to ten years, the maximum from fifteen to thirty years. A judge would have the option to fine the offender $25,000, incarcerate, or both.

A handful of members in the House who spoke against the bill argue the penalties are too high and would end up catching addicts rather than traffickers coming in from out-of-state.

“So if you have a kid that’s an addict, and goes next door, grabs prescription drugs, comes back to a party, and they spread it around, they’ve just committed this offense,” said Democratic Delegate Isaac Sponaugle, “and they’re looking at a minimum of 10 years to 30 years in the penitentiary. That’s outrageous.”

Sponaugle pointed out the minimum sentence under this bill is the same minimum for committing a second degree murder.

Supporters of the bill, argue the increased penalties will be a deterrent and help keep dealers out of the state – protecting West Virginia citizens.

“If we do not increase this and hold a bigger hammer over their head to try to get cooperation to catch the bigger fish per say, then we’re losing,” said Republican Delegate Ray Hollen of Wirt County, “We have to have leverage to do our job and to let the police officers do their job, and the prosecutors, and the judges.”

Hollen is also a retired West Virginia State Police Sergeant.

After an hour of debate, House Bill 2579 passed 88 to 10 and moves across the rotunda to the Senate.