The Christian County Grand Jury returned indictments on charges of endangering the welfare of a minor, first-degree wanton endangerment, and various drug charges Friday.
The jury indicted 39-year-old Danielle Denise Pepper on charges of endangering the welfare of a minor, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, using restricted ammunition during a felony, possession of marijuana, trafficking meth while armed, possession of drug paraphernalia, and giving an officer false identifying information.
The charges stemmed from October 17 when Hopkinsville Police were called to Holiday Inn for possible drug activity. When police arrived, they found Pepper and her 10-year-old son in a hotel room. Pepper’s son was reportedly sitting on a loaded 9mm handgun. A search later resulted in discovering an ounce of meth, two grams of marijuana, three digital scales, and a syringe.
29-year-old Preston Aaron Thomas, of Hopkinsville, was indicted on charges of second-degree assault – domestic violence and first-degree wanton endangerment. The charges came from an incident on October 8 when Hopkinsville Police were called to a home on S. Iris Drive. Police said Thomas pointed a loaded handgun at his father’s head and later grabbed a shotgun and hit him on the back and head, causing physical injury.
21-year-old Deonte Travez Taylor, of Hopkinsville, was indicted on charges of second-degree unlawful transaction with a minor, trafficking in marijuana – less than 8 ounces, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest, and possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a motor vehicle. The charges come from a traffic stop on July 23 when Hopkinsville Police pulled over a vehicle on E. 9th Street. Taylor was a passenger, and when an officer walked up to the vehicle, a strong odor of marijuana was detected.
The officer said Taylor was acting unpredictable and reaching for something on the floorboard. When the officer attempted to detain Taylor, he attempted to push by him and continued to resist orders from additional officers that arrived on the scene. A search of the vehicle produced a bag of marijuana in the door pocket and a gallon-sized bag that was half full under the seat. A smaller knotted bag, consistent with trafficking in marijuana, was also found in the center console. Two bottles of Fireball Whiskey were also recovered from the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was a juvenile, which Taylor was reportedly assisting in trafficking the drugs.