ELLAMORE – An Upshur County man was arrested this week after allegedly breaking into a woman’s home and physically assaulting her boyfriend.
Gary Sprouse, 35, of Ellamore, was arrested for burglary, a felony; being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, a felony; and assault, a misdemeanor.
According to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by Deputy Cole Bender with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, on Feb. 22 at 10:09 p.m., Bender and Lt. Marshall Powers responded to call for the removal of an unwanted person at Plott Hound Drive in Ellamore.
The officers arrived on scene and spoke with the victim, who told deputies that her cousin – later identified as Sprouse – allegedly showed up at her home, let himself in, tore his shirt off and refused to leave before “coming at” her boyfriend, according to the report.
The file says Sprouse fled the scene before the officers arrived.
Officers then traveled to the nearby residence of the victim’s father, where they reportedly found Sprouse passed out on the floor.
In the same room, officers found a gun rack with several rifles, a Ruger .223-caliber rifle, which the victim’s father said Sprouse was allegedly holding in his hands. The father told police he had previously taken it away from Sprouse. There was mud on the rifle as well as the floor where Sprouse had been lying.
Sprouse had a conviction of third-offense domestic battery, a felony, with a disposition date of Oct. 8, 2020, which effectively prohibits him from possessing firearms, according to the complaint.
Bail was set at $25,000 cash or surety by Upshur County Magistrate Mark Davis.
The potential penalty for a conviction of burglary is confinement in a state correctional facility for not less than one nor more than 15 years, while the possible penalty for a conviction of assault is confinement in jail for not more than six months or a fine of not more than $100 or both.
The potential penalty for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm is confinement in a state correctional facility for not more than five years or a fine of up to $5,000 or both.
