Former pastor arraigned on indictment
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ELKINS -- A former Elkins pastor entered a plea of not guilty to the four charges against him during an arraignment hearing Tuesday afternoon.
Kevin Curtis Jones, 34, of Elkins, appeared in Randolph County Circuit Court on Tuesday for an arraignment hearing where he entered a plea of not guilty to the four charges brought forward by the Randolph County Grand Jury in June. Representing Jones was attorney Alex Harclerode. The state was represented by special prosecutor Gabrielle “Gabe” Mucciola, the Prosecuting Attorney of Monongalia County. Randolph County Circuit Court Judge Jaymie Wilfong presided over the hearing.
In June, Jones was indicted on one count of soliciting a minor via computer; one count of distribution and exhibiting of material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct or computer-generated child pornography; one count of delivery of a controlled substance; and one count of distribution of a hemp-derived cannabinoid product to a person under the age of 21, all felonies.
Jones was previously being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on two separate $50,000 cash-only bonds set by Randolph County Magistrates Benjamin Shepler and Dyer. During a previous bond modification hearing, Wilfong modified Jones’ bonds to $50,000 property and $25,000 cash or surety, which has since been posted.
As part of Jones’ bond, he is not permitted to be in possession of any devices that can send or receive text, email or any form of electronic messages; no contact with anyone under the age of 18 with the exception of his biological child, so long as the child’s mother allows it; and no contact in any way with the alleged victim in this case.
During the hearing, Harclerode asked the court to modify the bond conditions further to allow Jones an electronic device so that he could contact Harclerode in regard to this case, as Harclerode was currently communicating with Jones through Jones' wife. Mucciola stated that she believes a landline would be more than sufficient.
Wilfong asked why Jones couldn't use a landline, to which Jones responded that he did not have one. Wilfong stated that Jones should look into getting a landline and denied Harclerode's motion.
Later in the hearing, Wilfong asked Jones if he had any questions for the court. Jones said he did as the bond conditions order he received did not mention that he could not have access to electronic messaging devices. After looking through her notes and the official court record from the previous bond modification hearing, Wilfong stated that the order should have included that condition, and she asked Mucciola to file a supplemental order that states the “no electronics” condition had been previously pronounced and was still a directive of the court.
Harclerode, who was not representing Jones during the previous hearings, asked the court to reconsider the “no electronics” condition, calling it "unusual" and "strenuous" for a bond condition. Wilfong told Harclerode he could file an official motion and she would consider it at a later hearing. Wilfong also noted that she had previously been advised that Jones and the alleged victim had 534 text messages sent between them over three weeks and that Jones had initiated 10 phone calls to the alleged victim in that same time frame. This was all prior to Jones making bond, officials said.
Harclerode asked for clarification on what constituted an electronic device in Jones' possession as Jones' wife, who he lives with, has a cellphone. Mucciola said the state saw no issues with Jones' wife keeping her phone so long as there were no devices that Jones had sole access to where a child would know messages were coming directly from him. Wilfong also suggested that any cellphones in the home be under the exclusive possession of its owner, and under password protection so Jones could not access it.
A tentative trial date has been set for Oct. 13 through Oct. 15.
Jones, who was arrested in October, was the former pastor of the now-dissolved Summit Church in Elkins. According to one of the initial criminal complaints filed against Jones, the alleged victim in the case attended Summit Church, "making (Jones) a person of trust over the victim." The arresting officer wrote in the complaint that he explained to the alleged victim what solicitation of a minor via computer was defined as under West Virginia State Code, and then asked the alleged victim if they thought Jones had solicited them. The alleged victim said, "Yes."
During a second preliminary hearing for Jones in October, the arresting officer told the court there were several photos of the alleged victim in their underwear and in a swimsuit on a device owned by Jones. The officer stated that directly after the swimsuit photo there was a similar photo of the alleged victim seemingly "exposing" private parts. That photo appeared to have been made using Artificial Intelligence (AI).