William Boyd Pierce, 66, of Point Pleasant, W.Va., died June 18, 2013, at his home.

At his request, there will be no service or visitation. Burial will be at the convenience of the family.The Deal Funeral Home is serving the family.

GALLIPOLIS — A Gallia County man who was previously indicted on meth-lab related charges stemming from a incident in November, was recently arraigned in the Common Pleas Court of Gallia County after his original charges were dismissed and a new indictment was filed.

Trentin N. R. Caldwell, 21, Vinton, formerly of Gallipolis, pleaded not guilty to two counts of tampering with evidence, one count of the illegal assembly of chemicals used to manufacture meth, one count of the illegal manufacture of meth, one count of drug possession, one count of unlawful possession and one count of fleeing and eluding during a hearing before Common Pleas Judge D. Dean Evans on Monday.

Caldwell was arrested at approximately 11 p.m. on November 28 by Gallipolis Police Officers who had arrived at Caldwell’s then residence at 29 1/2 Neil Avenue to serve a bench warrant on Caldwell who had failed to appear in the Gallipolis Municipal Court to face a charge of carrying a concealed weapon.

According to the complaint filed with the municipal court following Caldwell’s arrest, while at the residence located on Neil Avenue, officers reportedly observed hypodermic needles and drug paraphernalia lying on the living room table. Officers then obtained permission to search the residence from Ravyn N. Barr, 26, Gallipolis, who was also living in the home.

The officers subsequently located a book bag in the closet that contained items commonly used to manufacture methamphetamine, including drain clog remover, lithium batteries, Sudafed packs, starting fluid, a box of cold packs and coffee filters.

Following the discovery, a team of officers with the Gallia County Sheriff’s Office and Middleport Police Department, along with members of the Gallipolis Fire Department, responded to the scene to aid in the cleanup of the possible lab.

Barr was later indicted on a charge of the illegal assembly or possession of chemicals used in the manufacture of drugs and was subsequently released on an own recognizance bond.

A negotiated plea agreement in this case may be filed by July 8 and a jury trial has been scheduled for August 8 in the common pleas courtroom.

Caldwell, who had previously faced charges of burglary and theft in an unrelated 2011 case — charges that were later dismissed, later pleaded not guilty to a charge of the illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of methamphetamine, as well as the unlawful possession of a dangerous ordinance.

Caldwell also subsequently pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to comply with the order or signal of a police officer — a charge stemming from a December 24 incident.

Charges in both of these cases were later dismissed in late April with the caveat that they would be refiled by the State of Ohio at a later date.

The defendant’s new indictment was handed down by a grand jury last week and outlines charges that Caldwell tampered with evidence on September 2, 2012, by throwing a cut off piece of plastic baggie in the back of pickup truck during a proceeding investigation by law enforcement and had fled police officers on December 24, 2012.

Charges stemming from the November 28 incident are also outlined in the new indictment and allege that Caldwell was in the possession of Liquid Fire, Liquid Lightning, Drain Out, a box of cold packs, starting fluid, Lithium batteries, Sudafed blister packs and coffee filters on the night in question, was in the possession of a New England Firearms sawed-off 20 gauge shotgun, and had tampered with evidence as a small plastic baggie containing a white powder substance was lying on the ground in the spot where the officer had just searched the suspect on November 28.

In addition, Caldwell was also allegedly manufacturing methamphetamine on November 28 in the vicinity of a school and was in the possession of meth in an amount equal to or exceeding the bulk amount, a total of 40.20 grams.

During Monday’s arraignment hearing, Caldwell was present with his appointed counsel William Conley. His bond was set at $50,000, own recognizance, with an additional bond of $1,500, 10 percent, secured.

Caldwell was subsequently released on the own recognizance bond.

A negotiated plea agreement in this case may be filed by August 9 and a jury trial has been scheduled for August 28.

Chad R. Rennicker

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POMEROY — The man accused of robbing the Farmers Bank in Tuppers Plains on May 30 was arraigned on seven counts in the case on Wednesday afternoon.

Chad R. Rennicker, 25, of Ripley, W.Va., is charged with six counts of kidnapping and one count of aggravated robbery. Each charge is a felony of the first degree and carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

Bond was set at $1 million, with 10 percent allowed by Judge I. Carson Crow. The Public Defender’s Office in Athens was appointed to represent Rennicker.

According to the indictment filed on Monday morning, Rennicker did or attempted to commit a theft offense while having a deadly weapon on or about his person or under his control and either displayed the weapon, brandished it, or indicated the possession of use of it during the offense.

The six kidnapping counts are one count for each individual working at the bank at the time of the alleged offense. The indictment alleges that Rennicker did commit the crime of kidnapping at Farmers Bank in Tuppers Plains, by force, threat or deception, knowingly remove another from the place where the person was found or restrain the liberty of the other person, to facilitate the commission of any felony or flight thereafter.

A pre-trial hearing is set for 11 a.m. on July 15, with a trial date set for 9 a.m. on August 15.

Rennicker was also wanted by the Belmont County Ohio Sheriff’s Office and the Perry Township Police Department in Stark County Ohio. In May, Rennicker was sentenced on armed robbery charges in Belmont County and has failed to turn himself into authorities to serve his sentence.

He along with Michaela Fritz were arrested on June 1 in Ripley, W.Va.

The arrest of both suspects at an apartment in Ripley began with the surveillance of a white van that the suspects were driving. Rennicker and Fritz went to an apartment complex in Ripley and were followed by officers at that time. In response to the presence of law enforcement, the pair then attempted to hide in the attic, but Rennicker fell through the ceiling into the bedroom of an adjacent apartment. He was captured and taken into custody without incident.

Fritz is currently in South Central Regional Jail in W.Va., being held on $100,000 bond out of Jackson County. She was arrested on charges of aiding and abetting.