Mountain Top Media
Trial dates set in Floyd child exploitation cases
LONDON, Ky. — Trial dates have been set for three Floyd County men who were arrested this week on child exploitation charges.
Former school bus driver Andrew Lewis, 40, of Prestonsburg, is charged with online enticement. He is accused of attempting to persuade a student to engage in sexual activity back in March. The charge carries a potential sentence of anywhere between 10 years and life in prison.
During his initial appearance in London federal court on Wednesday, a trial date was set for Sept. 29. He will also be back in court Monday for a detention hearing to determine if he qualifies for pretrial release.
Bryan Cantrell, 31, of Minnie, is charged with two counts of producing a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexual explicit conduct and one count of transporting a minor with the intent to produce sexually explicit conduct for distribution. Each of the charges against Cantrell is punishable by 15-to-30 years in prison, if he is convicted.
During his initial appearance in court on Wednesday, the judge set a trial date of Oct. 5. He will also return to court for a detention hearing, but not date has yet been set.
Simon Roxas, 23, of Prestonsburg, is charged with possessing child porn of a victim younger than 12. He came under investigation after a friend discovered child porn on his phone. A forensic examination of the device later turned up nearly 200 images of suspected child porn.The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
During his court appearance, the judge set a trial date of Oct. 6 and a detention hearing for Aug. 12.
All three men remain in jail while they await the outcome of their detention hearings.
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Dickenson supervisors back emergency services, launch parks initiative during wide-ranging July meeting
by ROD MULLINS
[email protected]
CLINTWOOD, Va. — Public safety, recreation and long-term planning took center stage Tuesday evening as the Dickenson County Board of Supervisors approved more than a dozen actions ranging from new rescue squad equipment and library improvements to the creation of two new advisory committees designed to shape the county’s future.
Meeting on July 28, supervisors unanimously approved several grant applications totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars in emergency equipment, authorized major capital improvements, established a county Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and appointed members to a newly formed Energy Opportunity Committee.
The nearly four-hour meeting reflected what county officials described as a continued effort to invest in public safety while positioning Dickenson County to pursue future grant opportunities and economic development initiatives.
The evening’s largest financial discussions centered on grant requests from the Clintwood and Haysi rescue squads. County Administrator Larry Barton explained that both agencies plan to apply for Virginia Department of Health rescue squad assistance grants, which fund 70 percent of approved purchases while requiring a 30 percent local match.
Clintwood Rescue Squad requested funding for updated training equipment, cardiac monitors, a powered stair chair and a new ambulance. Rescue officials told supervisors their current heart monitors are approximately a decade old and beginning to experience mechanical failures.
“Our heart monitors are at least 10 years old,” one rescue official told the board. “We’re starting to have some issues out of them, and I feel like it’s a necessity for our public that we have new and updated equipment.”
Officials also emphasized the importance of replacing aging training equipment used to certify emergency responders.
The largest single request involved replacing four cardiac monitors capable of transmitting electrocardiogram readings directly to hospitals before patients arrive, allowing physicians to begin evaluating heart attack victims sooner.
Board members ultimately approved funding for three monitors rather than four, along with CPR training equipment, an AED trainer, a stair chair and a new ambulance. The advanced airway training mannequin was removed from the application to reduce the county’s financial commitment.
Supervisor Rhonda Willis noted that while every request was important, balancing the county’s budget required difficult decisions.
“I think the heart monitors are critical,” Willis said during board discussion, citing Dickenson County’s distance from regional hospitals.
Later in the meeting, supervisors approved Haysi Rescue Squad’s request for three new cardiac monitors, portable radios compatible with the county’s future communications system and a Lucas mechanical CPR device. Rescue officials explained that their existing monitors have required expensive repairs and that the state’s eventual transition to updated radio communications makes replacing existing equipment increasingly necessary.
One supervisor described the Lucas device as “priceless” for small ambulance crews because it performs consistent chest compressions during transport while paramedics focus on airway management and medications.
Supervisors also approved using $10,903 from Dickenson County’s opioid abatement settlement funds to cover the county’s local share of Recovery Court operations for fiscal year 2027. Recovery Court provides treatment-focused supervision for eligible individuals battling substance use disorders while helping reduce repeat criminal offenses.
Barton said the request simply formalized funding already anticipated during the county’s budget process and ensured Recovery Court would continue operating without additional pressure on the county’s general fund.
The board unanimously approved Dickenson County Public Schools’ request to carry forward approximately $2.45 million in unspent fiscal year funds into the current budget.
According to information presented during the meeting, much of the money will be reserved for capital improvements at Ridgeview High School and other school facilities. Planned projects include replacement of the football field’s synthetic turf, resurfacing the track, repairing sidewalks, maintaining gymnasium floors and addressing numerous infrastructure needs throughout the division.
Board members praised school officials for careful financial management that made the carryover possible.
Supervisors approved a Justice Assistance Grant application that would provide approximately $25,000 toward equipment for the Dickenson County Sheriff’s Office with an $8,000 county match.
Sheriff Jeremy Fleming said additional patrol car cameras and mobile computer equipment improve accountability while providing valuable evidence during investigations.
“You can’t have enough cameras,” Fleming told the board, noting the systems also help promote transparency within law enforcement.
After years of temporary repairs, supervisors approved a $60,300 contract with Martinez Construction to replace the roof on the Jonnie B. Deel Memorial Library in Clintwood. County officials said maintenance crews have repeatedly patched leaks but acknowledged a complete replacement had become unavoidable.
“We’re constantly battling leaks,” Barton said while describing ongoing maintenance issues affecting the library.
Following discussion, supervisors selected a dark brown architectural shingle roof.
Officials also noted bids for replacing the Haysi library roof are expected to come before the board next month.
Perhaps the meeting’s most significant long-term decision came with unanimous approval creating the Dickenson County Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. The volunteer committee will evaluate parks, trails, youth sports facilities and other recreational assets while helping the county pursue grants that currently remain unavailable.
Barton told supervisors the idea grew from discussions with members of the county’s Regional Acceleration and Facilitation Team (RAFT), who encouraged Dickenson County to organize recreation planning under a formal advisory committee. The committee will assess existing facilities, identify future needs and recommend improvements to the Board of Supervisors.
Board members also adopted bylaws governing the committee’s operation and said appointments will be made during a future meeting.
Supervisors also finalized appointments to the newly established Dickenson County Energy Opportunity Committee. The committee includes representatives from county government, local schools, municipalities, economic development and citizens with backgrounds in the utility industry. Officials said the committee will study energy-related opportunities, evaluate potential projects and provide recommendations as Dickenson County explores future economic development initiatives tied to the energy sector.
The board also began appointing members to a separate Resiliency Committee, which will focus on disaster preparedness, emergency response planning and long-term recovery efforts following natural disasters such as the February 2025 flooding.
During the public comment period, two residents questioned the use of Flock license plate recognition cameras installed within the Town of Clintwood.
One resident argued the cameras represented unnecessary surveillance in a county with relatively low crime, while another expressed privacy concerns and cited other Virginia localities that have reconsidered similar systems. Board members responded that cameras located inside the town are under the authority of the Town of Clintwood rather than Dickenson County government.
In addition to the major actions, supervisors approved the county’s annual pre-audit consulting agreement, declared two county vehicles surplus for sale and renewed insurance coverage for county fire and rescue agencies at a premium nearly $11,000 lower than last year’s cost.
The meeting illustrated the board’s continued emphasis on investing in emergency services while simultaneously laying the groundwork for long-term recreational development, disaster preparedness and economic opportunity.
County officials expect several of the approved grant applications to be submitted during the coming weeks, with award announcements anticipated early next year.
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