A State Police supervisor says he’s confident the trooper he’s assigned to investigate an unusual case in Barbour County is doing a thorough investigation.
Captain James Merrill says he wanted Sgt. G.S. Petsko to do the investigation because he doesn’t know “the players” in Barbour County.
Sgt. Petsko has charged Frank Poling, Jr. of Moatsville with domestic battery after he allegedly drugged the drink of his wife, Barbour County Prosecutor Leckta Poling. Petsko says Frank Poling wanted to see the cell phone and email records of his wife. He was concerned about the stability of their marriage.
Poling, 42, is the son of Barbour County Del. Mary Poling, who is the chair of the House of Delegates Education Committee.
Captain Merrill says it was Prosecutor Poling who made the original allegation against her husband.
Merrill says the investigation is continuing. He says there are some unusual circumstances because it’s a prosecutor who was the alleged victim in the case.
“You want an investigator to come in here with open eyes and look at an investigation and just do neutral investigation,” Merrill said.
The case is being prosecutor by Marion County Assistant Prosecutor Lea Anne Hawkins of Marion County. Monongalia County Magistrate Hershel Mullins has been assigned to hear the case.