As law enforcement officials continue to probe a Greenfield kidnapping case, four people suspected in the crime were among 21 indicted Tuesday by a Highland County Grand Jury.
Virgil Bryant and Tina Bryant, both age 52; Sabrina Banks, 22; and Nathan Day, 26, were each indicted Tuesday on two counts of abduction, a third-degree felony, in connection with an alleged kidnapping reported Oct. 4.
All four were arrested last month and are currently incarcerated at the Highland County jail where they await legal proceedings.
As reported by The Times-Gazette earlier, the Greenfield Police Department responded on Oct. 4 to a report of a possible abduction in the 1300 block of Jefferson Street in Greenfield. According to a news release, officers determined through witness accounts that a female had possibly been abducted from the scene.
Witnesses were able to identify suspects and vehicles associated with the alleged abduction, and arrest warrants were issued for the suspects, according to the GPD.
Multiple search warrants were executed by the GPD and Highland County Sheriff’s Office, and during the investigation, officials say the victim was able to escape from a barn located in Highland County, and made contact with law enforcement officials.
The sheriff’s office apprehended Virgil Bryant the same day, Tina Bryant was arrested by the Ohio State Highway Patrol during a traffic stop on Oct. 9, and Day and Banks were taken into custody after warrants were issued for their arrest Oct. 11.
Law enforcement officials interviewed Tuesday declined to comment further on the record due to the ongoing investigation.
In other cases considered by the grand jury on Tuesday, a violent incident at the jail in September resulted in three men being charged with assault on a peace officer.
Jeffrey Tyler Burgess, 32, Greenfield, was indicted on three counts of that charge, a fourth-degree felony, while Michael David Williams, 28, Mowrystown, and Tanner Bloomfield, 31, Hillsboro, were each indicted on one count of the same charge.
According to chief deputy Brandon Stratton of the Highland County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred Sept. 3 around 8:15 p.m. when two corrections officers were attempting to subdue Burgess, who was incarcerated at the time and had become aggressive in his cell.
Stratton said the altercation moved into the larger cell block area, and while the corrections officers were restraining Burgess, two other inmates, Williams and Bloomfield, “became aggressive toward the deputies, trying to assist Burgess.”
According to Stratton, Williams struck one of the deputies.
The officers were eventually able to bring the situation under control, and all three inmates were placed in lockdown, Stratton said.
According to Stratton, two of the men were about to be processed out to prison.
No one required medical attention, Stratton said.
The grand jury also handed down the following indictments:
• Michael Binegar, 57, Cincinnati, two counts of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, a third-degree felony.
• Bryce Rooks, 42, Greenfield, aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony; and, in a separate case, one count of the same charge.
• Nathan E. Keaton, 36, Hillsboro, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony.
• Tiffany Barnes, 32, Hillsboro, aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony.
• Stephanie Newman, 48, Williamstown, Ky., having weapons under disability and aggravated possession of methamphetamine, both third-degree felonies; and forfeiture specification.
• Ian M. West, 19, Greenfield, illegal conveyance of weapons or prohibited items onto the grounds of a detention facility, a third-degree felony and aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony; and in a separate case, another count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine.
• Douglas Hartman, 31, Greenfield, grand theft of a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony, and two counts attempted grand theft of a motor vehicle, a fifth-degree felony.
• Timothy Manuel, no age or address listed, 14 counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs, a second-degree felony; 14 counts of illegal processing of drug documents, a fourth-degree felony; and one count of workers compensation fraud, a fourth-degree felony.
• Thomas A. Barney, 35, Hillsboro, forgery, a fifth-degree felony.
• Kyle Robert Robinson, 31, Lynchburg, aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony.
• Daniel Jacob Young, 27, Leesburg, possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony.
• Steven Ray Culbreth, 45, Eastgate, burglary, a second-degree felony, and menacing, a fourth-degree misdemeanor.
• Paul C. Mefford, 47, Seaman, receiving stolen property, a fifth-degree felony.
• Shawn M. Howland, 36, Greenfield, aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine in the vicinity of a school, a third-degree felony; aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony; trafficking in heroin in the vicinity of a school, a fourth-degree felony; trafficking in heroin, a fifth-degree felony; possession of heroin, a fifth-degree felony; aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine, a fourth-degree felony; and aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony.
Reach David Wright at 937-402-2570, or on Twitter @DavidWrighter.
