Published: November 14, 2007 09:06 pm      

Tazewell Grand Jury hands down 93 indictments

TAZEWELL, Va. — A Bluefield man was indicted on rape and forcible sodomy charges during the November session of the Tazewell County Grand Jury.

Larry Joseph Cross, 28, was indicted on these charges, as well as statutory burglary, when the grand jury convened Tuesday, according to information from the Tazewell County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office.

The grand jury also indicted Josef Ludwig Brown, 26, of Tazewell, Va., on charges of abduction, robbery and statutory burglary.

In an unrelated case, Shelia Lynette Joyce, 43, of Raven, Va., was indicted for attempted robbery, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and wearing of a mask in public.

Two cases presented to the grand jury involved a significant number of forgery and uttering charges.

Larinda Dawn Meadows, 32, of Cedar Bluff, Va., was indicted on 167 counts of forgery of a check or draft, 167 counts of uttering a forged check or draft and 167 counts of false pretense.

Michael Allen Meadows, 29, of Roanoke, Va., was indicted on 80 counts of forgery of a check or draft, 80 counts of uttering a forged check or draft and 80 counts of false pretense.

It is unknown whether there is a family relation between the two individuals, as Tazewell County Commonwealth Attorney Dennis Lee was in court Wednesday and unavailable for comment.

The grand jury also indicted Benjamin Garrett Pruett, 22, of Richlands, Va, for shooting from a motor vehicle.

Additionally, Christopher Dale Roberts, 32, of Tazewell, Va., was indicted on two counts of child endangerment, two misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and the misdemeanor charge of allowing a person with no legal right to drive a motor vehicle.

During this session of the grand jury, the Commonwealth presented 93 indictments on 88 individuals. Ninety-three true bills, totaling 1,235 counts, were returned, according to a press release from the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office.

Ten individuals named in the indictment list released Wednesday were indicted on various drug-related charges, including possession and distribution of various controlled substances, as well as prescription fraud.

Of the individuals indicted, 55 reside in Tazewell County; 33 reside outside the county, including 20 who are residents of West Virginia.

— Contact Samantha Perry at sperry@bdtonline.com