Vinton County Grand Jury Returns Multiple Indictments; Former Clerk, Fiscal Officer Named

A Vinton County grand jury met Feb. 17, 2026, and returned indictments against seven people on charges ranging from aggravated drug possession to assault on a peace officer, Vinton County Prosecuting Attorney William L. Archer, Jr. announced. The Telegram News listing identifies the defendants, their ages, towns, and counts sent to the Vinton County Common Pleas Court.

Erica Davis, 38, of McArthur, was indicted on one count of Aggravated Possession of Drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. Crystal Francis, 42, of New Plymouth, was indicted on one count of Aggravated Possession of Drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. Amanda Jo Ball, 44, of Vinton, faces one count of Possession of a Fentanyl-Related Compound, a felony of the fifth degree.

The grand jury also returned an indictment for Kyle Brown, 36, of Ashland, on one count of Nonsupport of Dependents, a felony of the fifth degree. Owen Scarberry, 29, of McArthur, was indicted on one count of Assault on a Peace Officer, a felony of the fourth degree, and one count of Domestic Violence, a first-degree misdemeanor. James Harris, 45, of McArthur, faces one count of Aggravated Possession of Drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. Brian M. Knapp, 29, of Hamden, was indicted on one count of Failure to Appear as Required by Recognizance, a felony of the fourth degree. The Telegram News notes that these cases are currently progressing through the Vinton County Common Pleas Court.

Separately, WSEO reported that former McArthur Water Clerk Cathy Stoughton, 71, of McArthur, "was indicted on Friday in the Vinton County Common Pleas Court Grand Jury" and was arrested Tuesday, August 19, 2025, by the Vinton County Sheriff’s Office. WSEO lists her charges as one count of Theft in Office, a felony of the third degree; four counts of Tampering with Records, felonies of the third degree; and one count of Soliciting Improper Compensation, a first-degree misdemeanor. WSEO reported Stoughton was being held pending arraignment at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail and said the Ohio State Auditor’s Office conducted the ongoing investigation. Prosecutor Archer is quoted in the WSEO post: "the prosecutor’s office takes very seriously cases of alleged theft from Vinton County tax payers and appreciates the hard work from the Ohio State Auditor’s Office."

The recent Stoughton indictment and the grand jury list arrive against a background of prior public-funds prosecutions in Vinton County. Auditor of State materials show that a former Vinton Township fiscal officer identified as CY or Cyril Vierstra was indicted Oct. 15, 2021, on 13 counts including Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity and eight counts of Tampering with Records, and entered a negotiated guilty plea Oct. 26, 2022, to Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity, a second-degree felony. Auditor releases reference recovered or misappropriated amounts ranging from more than $287,000 to over $310,000 and note audit billing caps of $4,500 with $2,111.50 billed so far. Auditor Keith Faber is quoted in those materials: "While these funds may have been used to help his wildlife center, you can’t just run wild with tax payers dollars."

For context on grand jury outcomes in the county, a December 23, 2024, report noted the Vinton County grand jury unanimously voted against filing an indictment related to a July 27, 2023, incident in which James Darrell Ray Coleman, 40, of McArthur, had been charged with felonious assault after the hospitalization and later death of Travis Dakota Williams; the prosecutor’s news release summarized autopsy and toxicology findings that showed a "seriously high level of methamphetamine" in Williams’ system and described exterior injuries as "superficial," and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation declined to pursue further investigation citing "available evidence" and "solvability factors."

Court dockets in the Vinton County Common Pleas Court will list arraignment dates, case numbers, and custody status for the defendants named above; public records requests to the prosecutor’s office, the Vinton County Sheriff, and the court can confirm scheduling and charging documents.