Corbin man indicted on kidnapping, robbery and assault charges in Laurel County

A Corbin man was indicted Friday on kidnapping, robbery, assault and terroristic threatening charges stemming from a Dec. 26 incident in which he allegedly jumped into a woman’s car on U.S. 25W and forced her to drive to a location on American Greeting Card Road.

James Moore is charged with kidnapping and terroristic threatening

Thirty-five-year-old James William Moore was indicted on two counts of kidnapping, first-degree robbery, two counts of third-degree assault and fourth-degree assault.

According to the police report, the victim, identified as Tasha Cobb, was traveling north near Kentucky Fried Chicken just after midnight when she stopped to offer a ride to a woman who was walking along the roadway.

However, instead of the woman, a male suspect, later identified as Moore, jumped into the vehicle, told her he had a gun and that he would kill her child, who was in the back seat, if she did not take him to American Greeting Card Road.

Deputy Gary Mehler, who investigated the incident, stated in the arrest citation that Cobb did as ordered. However, when they arrived, Moore allegedly ordered Cobb out of the car, but refused to let her take her child.

“She told him she ‘washing getting out with the baby in there,” Mehler stated.

A struggle ensued in which the perpetrator attempted to grab the car keys and when she fought back, he allegedly struck her on the left side of the face.

“She said she started pushing him and he put his hands around her throat and started strangling her,” Mehler stated adding the woman told the perpetrator to take the money she had and leave her alone.

Mehler said the woman told police that she reached for the purse to give him the money, producing a .380 pistol from the side pocket.

“She told him she would, ‘pull the trigger if he didn’t get out!’” Mehler stated explaining the perpetrator took $40 and a pack of cigarettes and fled the scene.

Mehler took Moore into custody about 3:20 a.m. on West Cumberland Gap Parkway.

Moore remains in the Laurel County Correctional Facility on a $100,000 cash bond.

Moore has pleaded not guilty to the charges in Laurel Circuit Court and is scheduled to return to court at 9 a.m. on March 15 for a pretrial hearing.

The grand jury also returned the following indictments Friday:

• Brett Eugene Hand, 18, of Lily, three counts of first-degree sodomy and two counts of first-degree sexual abuse
• Tyrell N. Sizemore, 28, of Corbin, theft by unlawful taking of the value of $500 or more but less than $10,000
• Arnold Eugene Jones, 38, of Corbin, first-degree possession of a controlled substance – methamphetamine, third-degree possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest
• Lisa Gail Johnson, 41, of Woodbine, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance – methamphetamine, fraudulent possession of EBT card, possession of marijuana, second-degree possession of a controlled substance, third-degree possession of a controlled substance, illegal possession of a legend drug and possession of drug paraphernalia
• Brittany R. Gorsuch, 29, of Corbin, first-degree bail jumping and first-degree persistent felony offender
• Timothy Lynn Havens, 3,8, of Woodbine, first-degree bail jumping
• Christopher Feydo, 46, of Corbin, flagrant non support