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ELKINS -- The jury selection and trial for a Randolph County man accused of fleeing from police custody at the Randolph County Magistrate Court Office in December has been continued to a later date after he was recently indicted on federal charges.
Steven Mark Clemens, Jr., 40, appeared before Randolph County Circuit Court Judge Jaymie Godwin Wilfong this week for a pretrial conference and status hearing with his attorney, Brent Easton.
Clemens is charged with one count of escape by persons in custody of institutions or officers, a felony; and two counts of burglary, a felony. He is currently being held at Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $50,000 cash-only bond.
At the hearing's start, Easton addressed a motion he had made to continue the jury selection and the trial at a later date, due to Clemens having been recently indicted on federal charges. Jury selection had been scheduled for Friday, with the trial set to begin on July 28.
"We're asking that both be continued on account that Mr. Clemens was just indicted in federal court here in the Northern District on June 17," Easton told Wilfong. "…after I learned of that, I met with Mr. Clemens yesterday and we discussed his options, and we respectfully ask the court to continue the trial."
Easton explained that the initial arrest leading to Clemen's alleged escape from the Randolph County Magistrate Court Office in December revolved around "some gun allegations" and "stolen guns," and those were the charges that were being assumed by the federal government.
According to the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation website, Clemens is also being held at Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a charge issued by the Northern District of West Virginia U.S. Marshal Service, with no bond.
Assistant Randolph County Prosecutor Richard Shryock told Wilfong the state did not object to the motion of a continuation, but did ask that a trial date be set for late September or early October, if the court had the availability.
Wilfong granted the continuation motion and rescheduled jury section on Sept. 12, with a trial start date on Sept. 25.
A pretrial conference was also scheduled for Sept. 8. Wilfong said the Sept. 8 pretrial conference would be the last day she would anticipate taking a plea worked out between the prosecution and the defense.
Clemens allegedly fled police custody at the Randolph County Magistrate Court Office in December, and allegedly hid in a resident's home in Elkins before being captured.