West Liberty, Ky – A death investigation at Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex has led to a grand jury indictment of an inmate. Kentucky State Police say 45-year-old Jeremy Brooks has been indicted by a Morgan County grand jury on charges of murder and as a persistent felony offender. The case stems from the September 30th death of 27-year-old Ryan Rayburn of Ashcamp, who was found unresponsive in his cell at the prison and later pronounced dead at Morgan County ARH Hospital. State Police say foul play is suspected.
Pikeville, Ky – A Pikeville home on Town Mountain Road was destroyed by fire Thursday morning, but the person inside made it out safely thanks to a Good Samaritan. Pikeville firefighters say when crews arrived, the home was already engulfed in flames and the resident had been helped out by an unknown passerby who saw smoke and rushed in to get them to safety. Captain of Safety Christopher Allen says mobile home fires move fast, and credits the Good Samaritan with saving a life. Firefighters also rescued the resident’s cat, and say the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Martin, Ky – A Floyd County man is behind bars after a drug raid at his home on Sunny Road. Kentucky State Police say officers with the Drug Enforcement Special Investigations Unit searched the home of 44-year-old David Ousley and seized nearly three-quarters of a pound of meth, along with Xanax, oxycodone, methadone, Tramadol and about seven pounds of marijuana. Troopers also recovered 21 long guns, 10 handguns and roughly fifty-four hundred dollars in cash. Investigators say Ousley admitted to trafficking for years and traveling to Atlanta to buy drugs in bulk. He is charged with four counts of trafficking and possession of drug paraphernalia and is being held on a twenty-five-thousand-dollar cash bond.
Paintsville, Ky – A Paintsville woman has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in connection with multiple meth trafficking and bail jumping cases in Johnson County.
Court records show 39-year-old Jessica Spradlin of Banjo Branch was sentenced January 9th by Johnson Circuit Judge John Kevin Holbrook. Spradlin received 15 years on three counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, three counts of being a persistent felony offender, and three counts of first-degree bail jumping, under a plea deal recommended by Commonwealth’s Attorney David “Matt” Runyon’s office.
She was taken to the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center following the hearing.