Salem, West Virginia, man convicted of sex crimes against juvenile

Willie was convicted after a trial that lasted from Monday through much of Wednesday, with deliberations ensuing in the later afternoon.

West Virginia State Police Trooper L.R. Stalnaker investigated.

Assistant Prosecutor James Armstrong represented the state and continued his nearly unblemished trial record as a state’s attorney.

Assistant Defender Jordan Dishong represented Willie in his contention that he was innocent.

Also:

— Harrison Circuit Judge James A. Matish has sentenced Jonathon Wade Cochran, 42, of Shinnston, to a year in jail, followed by five years in prison.

Cochran was sentenced to jail for misdemeanor second-offense driving on an operator’s license suspended or revoked for DUI of alcohol. Matish sentenced Cochran to prison for felony possession of a firearm by a person prohibited.

Cochran absconded from bond, which factored into the court’s decision, as did Cochran’s prior history of multiple felony and misdemeanor convictions.

Cochran has charges pending from Harrison County (fleeing with reckless indifference, possession of a firearm by a person prohibited) and Doddridge County (grand larceny, conspiracy, wanton endangerment, possession of a firearm by a person prohibited).

Assistant Prosecutor Armstrong requested the prison term Thursday. Armstrong would have stood silent on sentencing if Cochran hadn’t violated bond.

Harrison Assistant Defender Dishong represented Cochran.

— Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh has set sentencing at 10 a.m. Aug. 19 for a Bridgeport doctor recently convicted at trial on four felony drug prescribing counts and an obstruction count.

The court also gave defense attorneys Mike Benninger and Tim Linkous, and government lawyers Andrew Cogar and Eleanor Hurney, until May 24 to file post-trial motions.

Hess, 60, was acquitted of 16 other counts, but the jury decided he had unlawfully prescribed Adderall on four occasions to a nurse who also was a patient. The jury also decided Hess had tried to remotely wipe his iPhone 6 after it had been seized by law enforcement.

Hess could face a total of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million on the Adderall charges, as well as up to five years and a fine on the obstructing charge.

Kleeh will look to sentencing guidelines to determine whether the Adderall and obstruction sentences run consecutively or concurrently. In the latter instance, the obstruction conviction probably would be used as an enhancement on the Adderall sentence.