A Eupora man awaits grand jury action on multiple child abuse and child neglect charges. Jonathan Jennings had a preliminary hearing in Eupora Municipal Court on Sept. 24 on two counts of child abuse and four counts of child deprivation of necessities with substantial harm. Court-appointed attorney Hays Burchfield represented him. Municipal Judge Buchanan Meek Jr. closed the hearing to the public. He did so because it involved testimony from Child Protection Services and was case sensitive, according to court officials. The judge found sufficient evidence for Jennings, 44, to be bound over to the January term of Webster County Circuit Court and reduced his bond from $60,000 to $50,000. Cassanda Ponder, whom authorities identified as Jenningsí girlfriend, was bound over on related charges after a preliminary hearing Sept. 10. Ponder, 31, is charged with four counts of child deprivation of necessities with substantial harm. Both defendants were released on bond from the Webster County Jail on Sept. 26. Allegations from affidavits filed by Sgt. Denise Crocker of the Eupora Police Department against Jennings and Ponder were reported in the Sept. 20 issue. The crimes as alleged were reported to have occurred at their residence on Adams Avenue in July and involve children ranging in age from 2 to 9, according to the affidavits. Stephanie Sibley, in an unrelated felony case, was also bound over to await grand jury action following a Sept. 24 preliminary hearing. She is charged with contributing to delinquency or neglect. Crocker alleged in an affidavit that Sibley allowed her daughter to strike a 9-month-old infant with her fist and bite him on the face and arms, and did not seek medical treatment for the injuries. The affidavit alleges this occurred at Westwood Apartments on May 20. Crocker testified at the hearing. Sibley was represented by Burchfield and remains free on a $1,000 bond. Other felony cases in which the defendants were bound over following preliminary hearings in Eupora Municipal Court include Darrell Ballentine, 44. He is charged with possession of firearm by felon. Ballentine was represented by courtappointed attorney Steven Adams at the hearing and Officer Devarius Smith testified. Ballentine is being held without bond in the county jail. Michael Pass, 57, was bound over to the grand jury on Aug. 13. Charged with grand larceny, he was represented by Burchfield and his Circuit Court bond is $5,000.
