Knox grand jury indicts two men in separate sexual abuse cases

Jul. 27—KNOX — Two separate cases involving the sexual abuse of minor children resulted in the Knox County Grand Jury returning indictments.

First, an Alabama man is facing a 21-count indictment from the Knox County Grand Jury accusing him of the sexual abuse of a minor child.

Dennis Ray Sharp, 46, of Decatur, Alabama, has been indicted on seven counts of incest, seven counts of first-degree sexual abuse, and seven counts of first-degree rape of a minor.

The charges against Sharp date back to March 2010 and extend through February 2016.

In the second case, Tristan Rice, 18, of Barbourville is facing five counts of first-degree rape and one count of first-degree of sexual abuse.

Counts 1-5 involve a teen victim starting in January 2021 through February 2022. The sexual abuse count involves a child under the age of 12 on two or more occasions in 2021.

Other indictments returned last week include:

—Stanley Phillip Carnes, 60, of Walker, KY: first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (first offense); operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants (first offense); no or expired Kentucky registration receipt; operating a vehicle with no registration plate; second-degree possession of a controlled substance; possession of drug paraphernalia; careless driving; and failure to wear a seatbelt.

—Lawanna Brock, 53, no address listed: forgery of a prescription; assume false title to obtain a controlled substance; practice medicine without a license; first-degree wanton endangerment.

—Chester Shulmate, 45, of Woodbine, KY: failure to comply with sex offender registration (second offense).

—Melissa Darlene Winn, 46, of Dayhoit, KY: first-degree jumping bail.

—Thelma Marie Collins, 46, of London, KY: theft by deception of value of $1000 or more but less than $10,000.

—Connie Feltner, 40, of London, KY: Theft by deception of value of $1000 or more but less than $10,000.

—Julia Bright, 26, of Gray, KY: two counts of program assistance fraud.

Readers are reminded that an indictment is a formal charge by a grand jury and is not a conviction or admission of guilt.

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