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Man Pleads Innocent To Child Porn, Rape in Belmont County

GARWON

Two individuals facing allegations in two different cases, one involving child abuse and the other rape, were arraigned Thursday before Belmont County Common Please Judge John Vavra and saw their court dates set.

John Null Garwon III, 43, incarcerated, pleaded innocent to pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor, a second-degree felony, and rape, a first-degree felony. The offenses carry maximum sentences of eight years in prison and life without parole, respectively, and designation as a Tier 3 sex offender. His pre-trial was set for Nov. 26, with plea agreement Dec. 10 and trial Dec. 18. His bond of $250,000 was continued.

Detectives originally had served a search warrant for John Garwon III in mid-October after the Internet Crimes Against Children Division of the Belmont County Major Crimes Unit received evidence from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Garwon had been sharing child pornography on the internet.

Garwon was arrested, but his Flushing roommate, Wesley A. Burdge, 46, and Burdge’s girlfriend, Tabitha Gallagher, 38, fled with their two children, ages 1 and 5. Burdge was accused of pandering child pornography and Gallagher of obstruction of justice. They were arrested in early November in Washington, Pennsylvania. They have not yet been extradited back to Belmont County.

The Belmont County Sheriff’s Department has said Garwon is suspected of sexually abusing one of those children. Belmont County Sheriff David Lucas has said hundreds of felony charges may result from the investigation of evidence against Garwon, Burdge and Gallagher.

Belmont County Department of Job and Family Services Director Vince Gianangeli said the two children have been placed with foster parents.

In other matters, Misty Dawn Glasgow, 36, of Bellaire, pleaded innocent to endangering children, a second-degree felony, and possession of drugs, a fourth-degree felony. Her pre-trial is set for Nov. 26, with plea agreement Dec. 10 and trial Jan. 8. Her bond of $50,000 was continued and she remains in jail.

Her co-defendant, Devan Noel Redman, 25, of Neffs, will be arraigned Monday on the same charges before Belmont County Common Pleas Judge Frank Fregiato. Redman has posted her $50,000 bond.

The two women are accused of abusing a 4-year-old girl left with them by the child’s homeless mother. Deputies served a search warrant Oct. 4 on the house after the mother of the child brought the girl to Belmont Community Hospital’s emergency room for treatment. The girl reportedly suffered multiple old and new bruises all over her body, along with multiple burn marks. Law enforcement reportedly found several thousand dollars in cash and 17 grams of suspected cocaine.

Gianangeli said the girl is recovering.

“She has attended her second therapy session,” he said. “She’s doing very well. She came to see me last week. The public actually brought several presents.”

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