CORBIN — By Carl Keith Greene / Staff Writer

Search for a fugitive leads to meth arrests in Knox County

A search for a fugitive led to the arrests of two people for making meth in Knox County Thursday, according to Knox County Sheriff John Pickard.

Deputies responded to a complaint of a suspicious female in the area of KY 1232 in Gray. Neighbors told the officers the female suspect had run to the home of Joyce and Jonathan Wood.

After getting consent to search the Woods’ house, Deputy Claude Hudson located the suspect identified as Danielle Burton hiding in the basement. Hudson had several outstanding warrants for her arrest.

During the investigation, Hudson and Kentucky State Police Trooper Jason Bunch discovered an active meth lab in the home, along with a multitude of methamphetamine precursors, Pickard said.

Deputies arrested Joyce Wood, 52, and Jonathan Wood, 19, and both were charged with manufacturing methamphetamine and Joyce Wood was also charged with second-degree burglary.

Both were taken to the Knox County Detention Center.

Deputies arrest man for domestic violence

A man was arrested for domestic violence after an altercation with a female victim Thursday, according to Laurel County Sheriff John Root.

Deputy Shawn Boroviak investigated a report of domestic violence at a residence on Tom Cat Trail, seven miles east of London and arrested Wesley Shell, 23, charging him with fourth-degree assault.

Shell was taken to the Laurel County Detention Center.

Teen sentenced to 20 years for murder

 Travis Hammack, 16, was sentenced in Laurel Circuit Court Friday to 20 years in the murder of his cousin.

He was also sentenced to five years for tampering with evidence.

On Saturday, April 24, 2010, at his Fariston home he and cousin Craig Hammack were playing video games in the living room when reportedly an argument broke out.

It was reported that Travis Hammack had been trying to get 15-year-old Craig Hammack to leave.

He was said to have gone to a back bedroom closet and got his father’s 12-gauge shotgun, came back to the living room and shot Craig in the neck just under the chin.

After the shot, Travis reportedly put the gun back into the closet and ran to the home next door to report the incident.

He was indicted with murder and tampering with evidence charges.

In Kentucky a 14-year-old or older child charged with a capital offense using a firearm is to be transferred to circuit court to be tried as an adult, and faces the same penalties as an adult if found guilty.

Corbin man handed 20 year sentence for bank robbery

Michael Smallwood, of Corbin, was sentenced Friday to 15 years after robbing the First National Bank on U.S. 25E on Oct. 8, 2010.

Circuit Judge John Knox also sentenced him to 20 years for being a persistent felony offender.

The sentences are to be served concurently.

Robbing the south Laurel branch of the bank at about 2 p.m. he took money from two drawers in the bank’s counter, said then Laurel Sheriff Fred Yaden.

Then, “He started apologizing. He told them he loved them and was sorry,” said  Yaden.

Smallwood was said to have been carrying a handgun.

He had been taken to a site on Florence Ave., still in Laurel County in a vehicle driven by another person.

There he left the car and disappeared into a wooded area.

The driver continued to take the car along Florence to Boone Ave., where he turned left across CSX tracks, where he and Smallwood were arrested.

Smallwood was also charge with carrying a concealed deadly weapon.

Sentencing for Christmas Day manslaughter

About 10:20 a.m. on Christmas Day 2010 Christopher Lee Allen’s body was found in a driveway on Whitley Road in London.

When police arrived they found his girlfriend inside the apartment.

She admitted to the police she had stabbed him and was taken to the Laurel County Detention Center.

Friday Roilynn Collett, 23, was sentenced in Laurel Circuit Court to 12-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

After the sentence was imposed, her mother, Lisa Collett, told reporters in the three-years they had been together he had hurt her often, shoved, stabbed and beaten her.

Roilynn Collett told the judge at sentencing that she had completed the 10th grade.

Final sentencing is set for Sept. 16.