PARKERSBURG - One of three men indicted in connection with an October 2011 robbery of individuals in a West Virginia Avenue residence was set for a plea hearing Tuesday in Wood County Circuit Court.
Robert Lee McElfresh, 19, in custody at the North Central Regional Jail, was sent to probation after he reached an agreement with the state. Judge Jeffrey Reed set the plea hearing and possible sentencing for 10:30 a.m. Feb. 21.
McElfresh was indicted by the January 2012 grand jury with Mathew E. Depew and William Joseph Kerns on two charges of burglary, and two counts each of first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery.
Depew and Kerns were acquitted of all charges in a trial on Sept. 6, 2012.
A retired Vienna physician also was in court Tuesday.
John N. Ralsten, 74, in custody at Sharpe Hospital, was denied a motion for a hearing and Reed will advise parties when discovery in the case has been reviewed and set a hearing date. Ralsten was indicted on a murder charge in connection with the April 8, 2011 murder of his wife, Carol Ralsten, in their Vienna home.
In other hearings Tuesday:
* Wavel Charles Whipkey Jr., 46, in custody at the North Central Regional Jail, entered a plea agreement with the state on the day his trial was to start. His plea and possible sentencing were set for 2 p.m. March 11. Whipkey was indicted by the January 2012 grand jury on charges of obstructing an officer, malicious assault on a government representative, second-offense battery on a government representative and attempting to disarm a police officer.
* Kristina R. Burns, 32, 4 Meadowbrook Trailer Park, Parkersburg, entered a plea agreement with the state and was referred to probation for a presentencing report. She signed a waiver to allow the court to inspect the report prior to accepting the plea.
She was indicted in two separate indictment from the May 2012 grand jury. Burns was charged with delivery of a controlled substance in one and four counts of fraudulent use of an access device, one charge of grand larceny and two counts of battery.
