Published: August 31, 2009 08:04 am      

Man indicted for gun threat

A convicted felon who allegedly threatened a woman with a handgun outside her home last month was indicted Thursday by a Madison County grand jury.

Farris Dwayne VanWinkle, 48, of McKee, faces charges of first-degree wanton endangerment, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and a second-degree persistent felony offender charge for the July 29 incident at a home in the 100 block of Bradbury Pointe.

VanWinkle, who was allegedly drunk at the time, is accused of pointing a loaded Smith and Wesson .38-caliber revolver at the resident of the home after she asked him to leave.

The woman told Richmond police that VanWinkle had pulled into a nearby driveway and staggered into her yard.

Police found the gun when searching VanWinkle after his arrest, said Sgt. Willard Reardon, Richmond Police Department spokesman, in a news release.

If convicted, VanWinkle could receive enhanced sentences of five to 10 years in prison on the endangerment charge and 10 to 20 years in prison for the firearm possession charge because of the persistent felony offender charge.

Trafficking charge

A grand jury issued an drug trafficking indictment against a Linden Street man who was arrested after being stopped for driving without headlights.

James Allen Phelps, 27, was charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and a first-degree persistent felony offender charge for a July 17 arrest in which police found 18 grams of crack cocaine in his car.

Phelps was pulled over for driving without headlights on Dwight Drive and was found to be driving on a suspended license, police said after his arrest.

Once Phelps was taken into custody, a search uncovered a rock of suspected crack cocaine in his pocket and a police dog found two additional bags of the drug and a bag of marijuana.

If convicted, Phelps could receive an enhanced sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison for the trafficking charge because of the persistent felony offender charge.

Other indictments

• Bryan Allen, 39, of the 100 block of Cassius Court, Berea, on manufacturing methamphetamine, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and a first-degree persistent felony offender charge. If convicted, Allen could face enhanced sentences of more than 20 years for the manufacturing charge and 10 to 20 years for the possession charge because of the persistent offender charge.

• Warren G. McKinney, no age listed, of Walter Lane, Waco, on first-degree possession of a controlled substance. If convicted, McKinney could receive one to five years in prison.

• Marteenus Compton, 32, of the 200 block of Aqueduct Drive, on first-, second- and third-degree trafficking in a controlled substance. If convicted, Compton could receive five to 10 years in prison for the first-degree charge, one to five years for the second-degree charge and up to 12 months in jail for the third-degree charge.

• Randall Pigg, 35, of Elm Street, Berea, on flagrant non-support. If convicted, Pigg could receive one to five years in prison.

An indictment is a formal statement of charges and does not imply guilt.

Brian Smith may be reached at bsmith@richmondregister.com or at 624-6694.