NORWICH – The Chenango County Grand Jury met Wednesday and handed up several criminal indictments. At the proceedings, the District Attorney’s Office presents evidence against those they wish to prosecute and the jury decides if there is enough reasonable cause to charge a person.
The grand jury indicted 11 individuals:
• Ethan J. David, 22, of Greene, was indicted for criminally negligent homicide, first degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle – both Class E felonies – and misdemeanor driving while intoxicated.
Police said 20-year-old Philip J. Stacy, also of Greene, was killed after he fell from the back bumper of the vehicle David was driving. According to the indictment, at 3:27 a.m. May 29 in the Town of Smithville, “the defendant was operating a 1999 GMC Suburban, a motor vehicle, while in an intoxicated condition and knowing (the victim), was hanging on the rear of the vehicle. (The victim) fell off the back of said vehicle striking his head on the pavement resulting in death.”
District Attorney Joseph A. McBride said David’s license was under suspension at the time of the incident for a pending DWI case outside of Chenango County.
“It’s my understanding that this individual’s license was suspended pending a prosecution in another unrelated drinking and driving matter out of the area. He goes to school out of the area,” said McBride.
McBride also noted this was David’s third alcohol-related criminal arrest.
• Meghan L. Matthews, 24, of Unadilla, was indicted with third degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class B Felony, after allegedly having 40 tablets of a controlled prescription drug in her possession. She was arrested March 22 in the Town of Afton with tablets of hydrocodone and acetaminophen which are a generic names of the narcotic pain reliever, Vicodin.
Matthews pleaded guilty to a drug related felony four months earlier in Chenango County Court. On Feb. 8 Matthews pleaded guilty to stealing $50,534 worth of collector’s coins and selling them to a Norwich coin dealer. She then allegedly spent most of the amount she received on drugs including heroin, according to court documents.
Matthews pleaded guilty to second degree criminal possession of stolen property and was sentenced to six months in jail, five years probation, ordered to repay about $42,334 in restitution and was admitted to Chenango County Drug Treatment Court. The court ordered payments of at least $100 a month until the debt is paid, meaning it will take her more than 35 years to pay the amount if she makes the minimum monthly deposit.
Matthews was arrested prior to beginning her sentence for the February conviction. At the time, prosecutors said she could serve up to seven years in prison for violating the terms of her plea bargain, which included further drug use or arrest. She is currently serving that sentence at the Willard Drug Treatment Facility in Seneca County while she awaits her court arraignment on the new charge.
• June M. Shumway and Christopher A. Sullivan were indicted as co-defendants for third degree grand larceny, a class D felony, and petit larceny. According to the indictment, Shumway and Sullivan stole a furnace, fuel oil tank, copper piping, portable wall mounted heaters, a tub, toilet and two sinks from a Town of Guilford home. Police said the amount of the items taken was valued in excess of $3,000.
• Michael T. Stephens was indicted for third degree criminal possession of marijuana, an E class felony. Allegedly on Feb. 26, in the Town of Plymouth, Stephens was picked up by police with more than 8 ounces of marijuana in his possession.
• Steven A. Lamphere was indicted with third degree incest, an E Class felony. According to the indictment, Lamphere was arrested in the Village of New Berlin in June after allegedly having intercourse with a person directly related to him.
• Mark D. Carr was indicted for driving while intoxicated, an E Class felony. Allegedly, on April 20 in the Village of Oxford, Carr was pulled over by police with a blood alcohol level of .09. The legal New York State Limit for intoxication is .08. Carr was convicted of a prior felony DWI Jan. 30, 2002 in Chenango County Court.
• William R. Lee was indicted for fourth degree criminal possession of stolen property, an E class felony, driving while ability impaired by drugs and first degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Allegedly, on May 10 in Oxford, Lee was driving a 1986 Chevrolet pick-up belonging to another person without a license and impaired by drugs.
• Greigg A. William was indicted twice by the grand jury for two separate drinking and driving incidents. Allegedly on May 23 along state Hwy. 8, in the Town of Guilford, Williams was stopped while driving a four-wheeler intoxicated. Then on June 14, while his first case was still pending, Williams was again stopped on the same road, on an ATV, allegedly intoxicated.
He was indicted on two counts of felony DWI and aggravated DWI. According to the indictment, Williams has prior alcohol related convictions from Aug. 4, 2003 in Chenango County Court and a separate conviction on Jan. 26, 1999, for felony DWI in Otsego County Court.
• Brian E. Kingsbury was indicted for second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a D Class felony. Allegedly, on Oct. 25 in the Town of Norwich, Kingsbury forged a prescription for 120 tablets of oxycodone. He was also indicted for seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor.
• Jason R. Doliver was indicted for first degree criminal contempt, an E Class felony, after allegedly calling an order of protection victim 12 times after being told to stop by law enforcement.
• Bryant B. Swingle was indicted for third degree burglary, a Class D felony, and petit larceny, a misdemeanor. According to the indictment Swingle allegedly entered a residential garage and stole a double barrel 12 gauge shotgun, between Sept. 24 and 29.