Herron

ELKINS — The case against a Randolph County man accused of sexual abuse by a parent, a guardian or custodian is headed for the grand jury after he waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

Willard Blaine Herron Sr., 76, is accused of two counts of sexual abuse by a parent, a guardian or custodian, a felony. He is currently being held at Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $100,000 cash-only bond.

Herron appeared in Randolph County Magistrate Court on April 17 with his attorney, Steven Nanners. Before the hearing was waived, Nanners filed a motion to modify Herron’s bond, asking Randolph County Magistrate Tracy Harper to change it to a 10% bond.

“In looking at this from a presumption of innocence with my client, I would ask the court to consider modifying the bond to a 10% bond,” Nanners told the court. “I understand if the amount will stay at the same level. We’d ask the court to consider a lower bond, but whatever amount the bond will be set at, we ask that it be able to be posted by 10%.”

Nanners said he believed a 10% bond would be appropriate as Herron was a resident of Randolph County, had “substantial ties” to the community and was not a flight risk. Nanners also said that, according to the criminal complaint, Herron “confessed to some kind of sexual touching.”

Assistant Randolph County Prosecutor Leckta Poling said the state was opposed to any form of bond modification due to the young age of the alleged victims.

Harper denied the bond modification.