RITCHIE PROSECUTOR FUNCTIONED WITHOUT LICENSE - Indictments Dismissed

(03/18/2006)
Cases moved forward by a Ritchie County prosecutor are in trouble since he was operating with a suspended law license.

Steven Jones was suspended last November for failure to file a financial responsibility disclosure form with the state. His license was reinstated in February.

Jones claims he was not properly notified, and he was not award of the situation until March.

But, all the January indictments have been dropped.

Attorney Bill Kiger is seeking to have the conviction of Van Martin Putnam overturned, which would release him from jail.

Putnam was convicted on December 8th on two counts of first-degree sexual abuse and two counts of sexual abuse by a custodian.

Jones reportedly remained active as prosecutor during his suspension and was involved in at least one other criminal case.