The Laurel County Grand Jury indicted a Lily man Friday for allegedly sexually abusing a child less than 12 years of age.
The grand jury indicted Shane A. Johns, 28, on a charge of first-degree sexual abuse. On May 27, Johns allegedly subjected a child less than 12 years of age to sexual contact, according to his indictment.
Laurel County Sheriff’s Detective Tommy Houston arrested Johns on May 27 after an investigation into a complaint. Deputies were assisted in the investigation by the Kentucky Department of Community-Based Services.
After that arrest, he was booked into the Laurel County Correctional Center where he was held until his Aug. 5 release.
Johns was remanded to custody after his indictment Friday and lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center where he is being held in lieu of a $10,000 cash bond. As of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Johns was still incarcerated in the Laurel County Correctional Center, according to the correctional center’s website.
Johns has a pretrial conference in his case scheduled for Oct. 15 in Laurel Circuit Court.
According to the indictments, the Laurel County Grand Jury also handed down indictments against seven other people Friday, including:
- Delane Tuggle, 24, of London – first-degree assault and third-degree criminal abuse. Between March 17-20, Tuggle allegedly engaged in conduct which created a grave risk of death to another and causing serious physical injury to a child less than two years of age. Also, during those dates, he allegedly intentionally placed a child, who is now four years old, in a situation, which caused the child to be in danger of death or serious physical injury.
- Heather F. Girton, 40, of Harlan, and Rex Vaughn, 55, of Mt. Vernon – theft by unlawful taking value at least $1,000 but less than $10,000 (skill saw, blower, landing pad, batteries and other miscellaneous tools), and second-degree criminal mischief (damaged magnetic door latch on a 2024 Ford Transit work van). Girton was also indicted for being a first-degree persistent felony offender. She has prior felony convictions in Laurel County stemming from 2016, 2020 and 2022 cases.
- Robert M. Smith, 38, of London – first-degree strangulation (intentionally using his hands to apply pressure on the throat of the victim), first-degree wanton endangerment (holding a gun to the victim’s head), fourth-degree assault (shoving the victim down causing physical injury), and third-degree terroristic threatening (threatening to kill or cause serious physical injury to the victim). All four charges involve the same alleged victim.
- Shannon Dale Adams, 45, of London – first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (two grams or more of methamphetamine), and possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Cody Blake Morgan, 24, of London – theft of a firearm.
- Kenneth Wayne Thompson II, 39, of London – second-offense driving a motor vehicle while license is revoked or suspended for driving under the influence, fourth-offense operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants, and four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor (engaging in illegal activity while in the presence of victims ranging in age from four to 11 years of age at the time of the incident).
