The Christian County Grand Jury returned multiple indictments Friday including on charges of human trafficking, sex-related crimes, child abuse, and wanton endangerment.
A true bill was returned on Zavian Jones, of Ossian, Indiana, on charges of human trafficking commercial sex activity victim under 18 years of age, use of a minor under 16 in a sexual performance, and four counts of procuring or promoting use of a minor under 12 years of age.
Jones was arrested in Indiana on a Christian County warrant following a multi-state investigation related to child exploitation that originated in Hopkinsville. The alleged crimes occurred between October 1 and November 7.
The grand jury returned a superseding indictment on Charles Spaulding, of Hopkinsville, to a previous indictment issued on June 23. He was indicted Friday on charges of first-degree sodomy and first-degree sexual abuse. Spaulding is accused of having deviating sexual intercourse and forcing sexual contact with a minor on April 1 who was physically helpless.
Separate true bills were returned on Valdarious Starks and Vivica Gee, both of Oak Grove, on charges of trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine while armed, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, possession of drug paraphernalia while armed, and three counts of second-degree criminal abuse of a child under 12 years old. Additionally, Starks was charged with possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.
The charges stem from February 2 after an investigation started with the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office giving information to the Christian County Sheriff’s Office that led to a search warrant for the couple’s home on Gleaves Lane. During the search, police seized 3100 Fentanyl pills, approximately a pound of meth, money a gun, and drug paraphernalia along with one fentanyl pill found in a vehicle.
Michael Lefkowitz, of Hopkinsville, was indicted on nine counts of possession of a matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor under 12 years old and seventeen counts of possession of a matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor over 12 years old. He was arrested by Hopkinsville Police after an investigation by the agency’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit determined he allegedly had inappropriate and explicit material that involved children between November 17th and February 2nd.
The grand jury indicted Joshua Yates, of Hopkinsville, on charges of first-degree criminal abuse of a child 12 years of age or under, first-degree strangulation and fourth-degree assault. According to Hopkinsville Police, officers were notified on January 21 by the Christian County Emergency Communications Center that a victim at a residence on Summerset Place had locked herself in the bathroom with her children after Yates had pushed them against a wall and threatened to kill them.
A true bill was returned on Charles Bussell, of Hopkinsville, on charges of first-degree wanton endangerment, first-degree unlawful imprisonment and fourth-degree assault. On February 5, Bussell is accused of assaulting the mother of his child while she was holding their three-month-old child.
Robert Sanders, of Hopkinsville, was indicted for failure to comply with the sex offender registry 2nd offense. According to the indictment, he failed to notify the Kentucky Sex Offender Registry of his change of address, having been convicted of the same offense on at least one prior occasion.
Derrick Tatum of Hopkinsville was indicted on one count of first-degree wanton endangerment after he allegedly pointed a gun and threatened to shoot someone during an argument on Canton Street on January 11.
