PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A Letcher County man has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison after pleading guilty to a federal drug conspiracy charge.

Mark Wayne Adams, 55, of Isom, pleaded guilty back in October to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. In his plea agreement, he admitted to obtaining hundreds of pills every month from several sources, then reselling them to drug dealers and users in Letcher County. He further admitted to using a neighbor to conduct most of the sales.

Last week, he was sentenced to 57 months in prison. He was also previously ordered to forfeit nearly $32,000 in cash that authorities seized from his home, as well as nearly $56,000 more seized from his bank accounts.

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WHITESBURG, Ky. — A federal grand jury has indicted six people in connection with a Letcher County cockfighting operation.

According to the indictment, Robert Dwayne Baker operated the American Testing Facility, commonly known as the Whitesburg Chicken Pit.

The indictment alleges Baker conspired with Georgia residents Virgil Saylor and Tina Miller to hold weekly cockfights, while Brandon Honeycutt worked as a referee. All four are now charged with conspiracy, which is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Baker and Honeycutt are also charged with animal fighting, along with Eastern Kentucky resident Chris Prater and Tennessee resident Henry Locke. That charge carries a potential three-year sentence.

All six have been ordered to appear in court Aug. 1.

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PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A Letcher County man who pleaded guilty to producing child pornography has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Eric Banks, 47, of Isom, pleaded guilty last year to a single federal charge of producing child pornography. In his plea agreement, he admitted to recording at least three videos of his co-defendant, 34-year-old Nicole Combs, engaging in criminal sexual conduct with a 4-year-old boy.

In sentencing him to 360 months in prison, U.S. District Judge Robert Wier gave Banks the maximum possible sentence.

Combs has also reached a plea deal in the case, pleading guilty last month to two counts of producing child porn. She will be sentenced in June.

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PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A Letcher County couple has pleaded not guilty to federal child porn charges.

Nicole Combs, 33, and Eric Banks, 46, were arrested on state charges last month.

Combs was charged with sexual abuse, sodomy and incest involving a 4-year-old. Banks was charged with promoting a sexual performance by a minor for allegedly filming Combs and the child on a cell phone.

Those cases are currently pending in Letcher Circuit Court.

A federal grand jury subsequently indicted the pair on charges of producing child pornography. In Pikeville federal court on Monday, each pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The judge set their trial for July 21.

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PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A Letcher County couple charged with sex abuse and child porn charges in Letcher Circuit Court now has more trouble, after also being indicted in federal court.

Nicole Combs, 33, and Eric Banks, 46, were arrested at Isom earlier this month.

Combs was charged with sexual abuse, sodomy and incest involving a 4-year-old. Banks was charged with promoting a sexual performance by a minor for allegedly filming Combs and the child on a cell phone. Those cases are currently pending before a Letcher County grand jury.

But on Thursday, a federal grand jury charged the pair with production of child pornography. The indictment says the alleged crime took place from September until April.

If convicted of the federal charge, each would face a sentence of between 15 and 30 years in prison.

No hearings have yet been scheduled in the case.

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ISOM, Ky. — A couple is facing charges in Letcher County related to sexual abuse and child pornography.

Eric Banks, 46, and Nicole Combs, 33, were arrested earlier this month.

According to court records, a state trooper responded to a complaint at Isom. Following an investigation, he charged Combs with sexual abuse, sodomy and incest involving a 4-year-old. She remains in jail on a $250,000 bond.

Banks was charged with promoting a sexual performance by a minor for allegedly filming the Combs and the child on a cell phone. He is in jail on a $150,000 bond.

The cases are currently before a grand jury, which will determine if criminal prosecution will proceed.

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Crews in Letcher County worked Monday evening and Tuesday morning to save a temporary bridge across Rockhouse Creek.

Rainy weather Monday into Tuesday morning brought debris and high water down Rockhouse Creek and up against the temporary crossing into Perkins Branch in the Jeremiah community of Letcher County. Portions of the structure began to fail, but the crossing was saved by county crews who removed debris from drain tiles, allowing water to flow freely.

Letcher Judge-Executive Jim Ward said crews worked until midnight and after to clear the debris and repair the washed out portions of the temporary bridge.

Perkins Branch was the site of a bridge collapse in March that stranded dozens of people in their community. The temporary crossing was installed days later, and itself washed out just weeks after the bridge collapse. It was re-installed shortly after and has since provided access to Perkins Branch.

The new Perkins Branch Bridge is set to be installed soon. Ward said he had hoped to have the new bridge installed before wet weather, such as what the region has experienced of late, had set in.

Portions of the bridge have already been delivered to the site, and Ward said the bridge will be constructed after drilling is done to install supports.

Ward commended county crews for their work in preserving the temporary crossing.

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The residents of one Letcher County community could soon see some relief after being stranded by a bridge collapse earlier this week.

The residents of Perkins Branch in the Jeremiah community of Letcher County will soon have a new temporary road and a river crossing to get into and out of their hollow. More than two dozens families were stranded after the only bridge into and out of Perkins Branch collapsed at some point Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

Letcher County Judge-Executive Jim Ward said the temporary crossing could be completed as early as tonight (Thursday night).

Ward said the felled bridge had been damaged by floodwaters from February’s flooding event across the region. He added a permanent solution to the bridge collapse is still being considered by state, county and federal officials. No one was reported injured in the collapse of the Perkins Branch bridge.

Ward said between 25 and 30 residences are located in Perkins Branch, which is just off Ky. Route 7, just across the Letcher Elementary School.

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A bridge collapse in Letcher County has left dozens of people stranded in their community.

The bridge crossing Rockhouse Creek at Perkins Branch in Jeremiah community partially collapsed at some point late Tuesday evening or early Wednesday morning. The bridge had been damaged in last month’s flooding, and Letcher County officials were working to get the Perkins Branch bridge, and three others like it, repaired or replaced.

The collapse has now stranded more than two dozen families. Letcher Judge Executive Jim Ward said 25 to 30 homes are located in Perkins Branch.

Missy Eldridge, a resident of Perkins Branch, said her husband found the collapsed bridge when he nearly drove off of it on his way to work just before 4 a.m. Wednesday. She said her teenage son crossed the bridge the night before at about 10:30 p.m. and no new damage was evident.

Both Eldridge and Zennith Ison, another Perkins Branch resident, said they are concerned for the welfare of elderly residents of the community who are unable to leave Perkins Branch or be reached by emergency services in the event of an emergency.

Now, residents of Perkins Branch are waiting for a temporary low-water crossing to be constructed so they can get in and out of their hollow. Ward said it will take at least two days to get the new, temporary crossing constructed.

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