Several Cases Resolved in Upshur County

GILMER — Upshur County’s state district courtroom in Gilmer was busy with several cases Thursday and Friday, according to District Attorney Billy Byrd. They included a high-speed chase in which a man threw meat out a car window; a drastically increased sentence for a multiple probation violator; and a child sex assault incident.

On Friday, Ozima Moore, 53, of Longview, pleaded guilty to felony evading arrest in a motor vehicle and was sentenced to 8 years in prison. Officials say the case arose from the defendant stealing meat products from the Walmart Neighborhood Market on Highway 300 in Longview. Longview police responded and got into a high speed chase with him. The Longview Police Department ended the pursuit at the city limits. As the defendant drove into Upshur County he was located by the East Mountain Police Department’s, Officer Marc Nichols, who pursued him. He was throwing stolen goods out of the window but ultimately stopped and was taken into custody.

On Thursday, Marcellous Valentine, 21, of Diana, was sentenced to 40 years in prison on a felony aggravated robbery contested revocation hearing. The defendant was placed on a 5-year deferred adjudication probation on April 11, 2014. In September of 2014 a motion to revoke unadjudicated probation was filed. The revocation alleged the defendant had not reported to his probation officer, performed any community service, and paid any fines/fees since June of 2014. Valentine absconded and was not arrested on that revocation warrant until September 2015.

In October of 2015 his probation was amended and extended for one year, and he was to serve 120 days in the Upshur County Jail for various technical violations of his probation. In July of 2016 a new motion to revoke unadjudicated probation was filed. In this new revocation the defendant admitted to his probation officer to the use of THC on two different occasions. Valentine also failed to perform community service and pay any fines/fees since January of 2016.

During a sentencing hearing, the defendant admitted that after reporting to his probation officer he went and bought marijuana in Gilmer in June of 2016. Valentine asked the court to reinstate him on probation or sentence him to a low number of years in prison. When asked what type of sentence he felt he deserved, the defendant said 5 years in prison was appropriate. The judge found that Valentine had violated his probation and sentenced him to 40 years in prison.

In another Friday proceeding, 35-year-old Aubry Hawley of Gladewater pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a child under the age of 17 and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. The offense occurred on March 14 in Gladewater. This crime happened on only one date, and officials say there was no consent from the victim to go as far as it did.