(Court Reports - Photo Illustration/MetroCreativeConnection)

MARIETTA — The Washington County Grand Jury indicted 21 people Wednesday, including a former representative from the Washington County Veterans Service Commission.

Ronald Ellis Hudson, 69, 1097 Colegate Drive, Marietta, was indicted on a charge of theft, a fourth-degree felony.

Hudson’s charge stems from the alleged actions he took on March 1-May 21, 2024, to deprive the Washington County Veterans Mobility Project of $8,978.50, officials said. On Sept. 6, 2023, Hudson was sworn in as the representative for the Disabled American Veterans on the Washington County Veterans Service Commission in Marietta. Hudson had previously established another branch of the DAV’s Veteran Mobility Project in Whipple.

According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, they received an anonymous letter that expressed concern over the management of funds for the Veterans Mobility Project. In the letter, Hudson was named as the person overseeing the project. The anonymous author went on to express their suspicion of several fundraising projects the organization had undertaken and that the veterans in the community had not seen any tangible benefits for their community.

Other indictments released Wednesday included:

* Gary Dale Ball, 48, 907 Neil St, Apt 1, Parkersburg, receiving stolen property, fifth-degree felony; theft, fifth-degree felony, from February 2024.

* Jessica Lee Smith, 33, 34618 Bashan Road, Long Bottom, Ohio, failure to appear as required by recognizance, fourth-degree felony, from Jan. 3.

* Jason Adam Szakal, 4505 Whipple Run Road, Whipple, Ohio; trespass in a habitation when a person is present or like to be present, fourth-degree felony, from August 2024.

* Chase Dominick West, 29, New Matamoras, strangulation, fourth-degree felony; domestic violence, first-degree misdemeanor, from December 2024.

* Shawn David Lent, 50, 653 Johnson Road, Marietta, aggravated possession of drugs, fifth-degree felony, from May 2024.

* Matthew Scott Salla, 30, 809 12th Street SW, Massillon, Ohio, having weapons while under disability, third-degree felony, from September 2024.

* Christopher Eric Drayer, 55, Beverly, three counts of strangulation, fourth-degree felony; one county of domestic violence, first-degree misdemeanor, from February 2024.

* Brenden Malcolm Kiggans, 20, 405 Powell Road, Cutler, breaking and entering, fifth-degree felony; criminal damaging or endangering, second-degree misdemeanor, from November 2024.

* Noah W. Mann, 24, 58300 Lashley Road, Senecaville, Ohio; aggravated assault, fourth-degree felony, from November 2024.

* Griffen Issac Eastwood, 29, 113 Knox Street, Apt 21, Marietta, disrupting public services, fourth-degree felony; disorderly conduct, fourth-degree misdemeanor, from November 2024.

* Madison Brooke McDowell, 28, 2401 Clybourne Road, Columbus, and Danielle Nichole Padfield, 45, 33 Red Maple Drive, Bridgeport, W.Va., trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, first-degree felony; possession of a fentanyl-related compound, first-degree felony; possession of a fentanyl-related compound, fifth-degree felony; aggravated trafficking in drugs, first-degree felony; aggravated possession of drugs, first-degree felony, from December 2024.

* Elberth Torres, 35, 1525 Gainsville Drive, Deltona, Fla., trafficking in marijuana, fourth-degree felony; possession of marijuana, fifth-degree felony, from September 2023.

* Justin Tyler Gibbs, 33, 210 Lancaster Street, Marietta, aggravated trafficking in drugs, second-degree felony; aggravated possession of drugs, third-degree felony; trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, third-degree felony; possession of a fentanyl-related compound, fourth-degree felony, from February 2024.

* William Alan Sanders, 41, 1906 Longshadow Street, Rural Hall, N.C., tampering with evidence, third-degree felony; obstructing official business, fifth-degree felony; failure to comply with order or signal of a police officer, first-degree misdemeanor, from December 2024.

* Jason Anthony Dick, 46, 999 Little Bear Creek Road, Lowell, felonious assault, first-degree felony; failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, third-degree felony; tampering with evidence, third-degree felony; illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia, fourth-degree misdemeanor, from December 2024.

* Dayou Mae Sedaekon Bruce, 23, 19029 Scottsdale Blvd, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assault, fourth-degree felony; obstructing official business, fifth-degree felony; harassment with a bodily substance, fifth-degree felony, from Jan. 3.

* James Benjamin Cline, 48, 660 Cornerville Road, Reno, two counts of menacing by stalking, fourth-degree felonies; two counts of menacing by stalking, first-degree misdemeanors from December 2024.

* Jeffrey Carlyle Beaver, 55, 17824 State Route 550, Marietta, importuning, fifth-degree felony; pandering sexually-oriented matter involving a minor, fourth-degree felony; illegal use of minor in nudity-oriented material or performance, fifth-degree felony; two counts of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, fifth-degree felony; gross sexual imposition, fifth-degree felony, from May 2017.

* Robert Nicholas Grover, 34, Middleport, Ohio, kidnapping, first-degree felony; abduction, third-degree felony; felonious assault, second-degree felony; domestic violence, first-degree misdemeanor; grand theft of a motor vehicle, fourth-degree felony, from December 2024.

* Travis John Jones, 45, 77 Wonder Hill Drive, Athens, Ohio, identity fraud, fifth-degree felony; falsification, first-degree misdemeanor; possession of drug, first-degree misdemeanor, from December 2024.

Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com