Court briefs
Woman acquitted Carolyn C. Tyson, 25, of Leckrone was acquitted Wednesday in Fayette County Court of having sex with a 15-year-old after plying him with drugs and alcohol.
Tyson, of 1392 Leckrone-Masontown Road, was charged with statutory sexual assault, corruption of minors and furnishing liquor to a minor. State police claimed she had sex with the teen on several occasions between July 15, 2002, and Aug. 15, 2002.
The teen reportedly told police that she gave him vodka to drink and marijuana to smoke. The teen testified his mother told police of the encounters. Tyson denied the charges on the stand.
Jury convicts man
Fayette County jurors convicted Raymond R. Thomas Jr. of possessing 36 grams of powder cocaine and intending to sell it once it was converted to crack.
Thomas, 20, of 80 Lenox St., Uniontown, had the cocaine at a Dunbar Township home on Dec. 5, 2003. Court documents indicate that police believe he intended to cook the powder into rocks of crack. He was using a kitchen pot to cook the drugs.
Thomas also had a digital scale to weigh the crack and sandwich baggies to package it, according to court records. His arrest came after the county’s drug task force served a warrant at 113 Marshall St. in Dunbar.
He was convicted of possession, possession with intent to deliver drugs and possession of a small amount of marijuana for personal use.
Judge Gerald R. Solomon will sentence Thomas at a later date.
Testimony begins
Fayette County jurors began hearing testimony Wednesday in a rape case against James Scott Kelley.
The 38-year-old Uniontown man allegedly had repeated sexual encounters with a 15-year-old girl at a North Gallatin Avenue home between Feb. 4 and June 4, 2004. After some of the encounters, police allege, Kelley threatened to harm the teen or himself if she told anyone.
He is charged with rape, statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault and indecent assault.
His trial is being held before Judge John F. Wagner Jr.
Trial continues
Timothy L. Johnson was in Fayette County Court on Wednesday, facing trial for allegedly having 1.7 pounds of marijuana in the trunk of a rental car he was driving.
State police saw Johnson, 36, of 3163 National Pike, Farmington, arguing with someone in the vehicle on March 4, 2003, and stopped to see what was going on. Since the car was rented to his cousin and Johnson was not on the rental agreement, police asked his cousin for permission to search the vehicle.
She agreed, and police reportedly found 813 grams of marijuana in a duffle bag in the trunk.
Johnson is charged with possession and possession with intent to deliver drugs.
His trial is being held before Judge Gerald R. Solomon.