According to a criminal complaint filed in the Magistrate Court of Calhoun by Trooper J.D. Richards, he executed a search warrant on September 3rd, 2022 for property located at 2544 Big Root Road, Big Bend, West Virginia, Calhoun County. The search warrant was related to a midnight 911 call of suspicious activity at the same address. When the Trooper arrived, the door to the residence was wide open; when the Trooper stepped in to make sure there was no breaking and entering occurring, he spotted firearms and drug paraphernalia. The search warrant was executed at 2:30 a.m.
The residence was a trailer that the Trooper had seen the accused in before, and is the address that is on his Identification card/operator’s license.
The Trooper located a Smith and Wesson 38 Special Revolver and a .22 caliber rifle (which was loaded) at the residence. All of the firearms were accessible to anyone within the residence that would be prohibited.
James Forrest Blankenship, II was convicted of Felony Fleeing with Reckless Indifference on June 23, 2014, which should be noted has the propensity to cause indiscriminate violence to another person, via his criminal history. Upon the Troopers investigation and the facts at hand a warrant for the arrest of James Blankenship, II was requested on the charges of 2 counts of Felony Prohibited person in possession of a fire arm.
Following a statement from an individual who corroborated the Statements of Trooper Richards, Terry Wesley Peggs, Jr. was carrying either openly or concealed firearm described as a .22 Caliber Revolver. It was also said that Mr. Peggs bounced between the aforementioned address and 1303 River Road. Trooper Richards then requested a search warrant for the described property for firearms. The search warrant was executed at 7:30 p.m. where Trooper Richards found James Blankenship II lying next to baggies of Methamphetamine and at the time got an additional search warrant. Through these search warrants the Trooper located 3 Meth pipes with residue, a stir rod approximately 2 grams of white crystal substance, 2 grams believed to be marijuana and a Herter’s .22 Caliber Revolver. The Revolver was found in a black back pack as had been described earlier and was accessible to anyone at the the River Road residence.
Blankenship is currently being held at WV Central Regional Jail on a $75,000 bond.
