Presentations for the Kentucky State Post 14 Police

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Post 14 KSP officers presented certificates of recognition from Va. 

CPT George Austin of the Virginia State Police , Salem Detachment, presented 6 (six) Post 14 employees with certificates of recognition for their involvement with the capture and arrest of Virginia fugitive William Earnest Grubbs on November 11, 2011.  Grubbs had been employed as New Bedford County, VA Deputy and abducted a female juvenile. Grubbs was located on I-64 in Carter County, KY by Kentucky Troopers and subsequently stopped and arrested.

From left to right are: CPT Merrell Harrison (Post Commander Post 14), LT Jim Shelton (Operations Lieutenant Post 14), Trooper Bryant Marcum, CPT George Austin (VSP), Trooper Jim Ryland, CVE Officer Jess Staggs, Detective Chris Carter, Dispatcher Joe Lambert.

June 19, 2012

First, I would like to thank Captain Merrell J. Harrison, Lt. Jim Shelton and TFC Elliot Gollihue for making the arrangements for me to be here today. I am here to present Certificates of Appreciation from the Superintendent of the Virginia State Police, Colonel W. Steven Falaherty, to six extraordinary employees of the Kentucky State Police. This is but a small token of our appreciation and more importantly, from the family of the juvenile female for your efforts in the felony stop, subsequent arrest of Ernest Grubbs; and I can not forget the safe return of the 16 year old female high school student that was traveling with Grubbs.

On October 17, 2011 the Virginia State Police was contacted by the Bedford County Department of Social Services and the family of the 16 year old female to investigate an alleged sexual assault by an adult. Our investigation revealed that the adult was Bedford County Deputy Sheriff, William Ernest Grubbs; Grubbs was a school resource officer at the girl’s high school. On October 19, 2011, SA Garland Snead of the Virginia State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Salem Field Office, obtained 12 warrants for Grubbs for taking indecent liberties with a minor and he was arrested for the improper conduct with the 16 year old female. He was taken to a local magistrate and subsequently released on a $5,000.00 bond with instructions not to have further contact with the juvenile female. On November 7, 2011 SA Snead and SA Willis were contacted by the girl’s mother and reported her missing. After a short time, it was felt that Mr. Grubbs had left with the juvenile. We determined with the investigative assistance of the West Virginia State Police, that Grubbs had stopped in Lewisburg, West Virginia on November 7, 2011, and a young female was with him at a local convenience store just off I-64. At this time capiases were issued for Mr. Grubbs for leaving the Commonwealth of Virginia and having contact with the juvenile in relation to the first charges we made; abduction warrants were also obtained for his arrest. We had no further contact or confirmed sightings until SAA Kevin Harth from our office and SA John Singleton from our High Tech Crimes Division obtained real time information that Grubbs was at a convenience store and gas station near our present location; they called the convenience store and the Kentucky State Police and were able to determine that Grubbs was getting a jump start on his Jeep battery, was still on the parking lot, and confirmed he had a young female in the vehicle with him. The Kentucky State Police had one sworn person near the convenience store and others close by.

Thus begins the reason I am here. The felony stop of Ernest Grubbs, his subsequent arrest, and the safe return of the juvenile female was well beyond text book. Lt. Jim Shelton waited behind Grubbs vehicle and other members of the Kentucky State Police got into position to make the stop. SAA Harth, SAA Nan McGuire, and I all listened to the radio traffic from the first transmission of the KSP until the end of the stop. I have been on a long time and the way the entire operation was handled was perfect. Entrance ramps were blocked, troopers were placed in strategic positions, and no one attempted the stop until all were in place. As the hours went on in the search for Grubbs, we were extremely concerned for the girl’s safety as not only was Grubbs a deputy sheriff, he was also a member of the Bedford County Sheriff’s Department TACT Team; with outstanding warrants to include the recent ones for abduction and his previous charges, Grubbs had a lot to loose. As we listened to the stop being made and the subsequent radio traffic that the girl was in the vehicle and was safe, to say those of us at the Virginia State Police were elated, would be an understatement.

I would like to now make the presentation of the certificates. If we have left anyone out, I apologize now; however, thank everyone, no matter how small of a part you had, for the safe return of the juvenile. These particular certificates are not given out routinely and require the approval of our Executive Staff with final approval and the signature of Colonel W. Steven Flaherty.

Lt. Jim Shelton

Detective Chris Carter

Trooper John Marcum

Trooper Jim Ryland

Dispatcher Joe Lambert

Officer Jeff Staggs

I would like to close by giving our profound appreciation to the efforts of the Kentucky State Police and thank you once again on behalf of Colonel Flaherty and the family of the abducted female juvenile.