Big Stone Gap man sentenced to 30 years in prison for child sex crimes. 31-year-old Christopher Davis Crowder was sentenced in connection to multiple charges of indecent liberties with a minor and aggravated sexual battery. The court decided to sentence Crowder to ten years in prison for each of indecent liberties charges and 20 years with ten suspended for his aggravated sexual battery charge. Crowder will also have ten years of supervised probation following his release. In July 2021, he became involved in the lives of a family friend and her children, offering help with transportation. Crowder did it all to gain access and trust in an effort to sexually molest and victimize young boys, according to Wise County Commonwealth's Attorney Steven Davis. He remains in the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail, awaiting transfer to a Virginia Department of Corrections facility. 

There will be no charges filed after the death of an inmate at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Duffield in May. 43-year-old Sherri D. Cook, of Whitesburg, Kentucky, was brought to the Duffield Jail on May 20 on charges of DWI and child neglect. Cook's behavior, along with self-inflicted injuries and refusal of medical treatment, led her to being placed in a safety chair. She was found unresponsive at 7:06 p.m. and CPR was immediately administered. Cook was transported to a hospital in Wise County where she was pronounced dead. Her body was then sent to Medical Examiner's Office in Roanoke for an autopsy, which found that she suffered an acute subdural hemorrhage with contributing methamphetamine toxicity. Buprenorphine and Delta-9 carboxy THC were also found in Cook's system. 

Dickenson County man facing six child porn possession charges. 52-year-old Brian Ray O'Quinn is accused of possessing explicit images involving a child in June. O'Quinn has been charged with one count of possession of child pornography and five counts of possessing child pornography second or subsequent offense. 

Body found in Scott County mobile home fire. The Scott County Sheriff's Office and Virginia State Police report that a fire occurred in the Big Moccasin section of Clawhammer Drive at 12:41 p.m. Tuesday. A mobile home was completely engulfed in flames. Fire departments were able to contain the fire, but a body was found inside the residence. The body was sent to the Medical Examiner's Office in Roanoke. The fire remains under investigation. 

One person is dead following a fatal crash in St. Paul Thursday afternoon. The crash reportedly occurred at around 1 p.m. Thursday on Route 63 in St. Paul. One man died at the scene, while two others were taken to the hospital, but have been released. The name of the deceased has not been released pending notification of family. The St. Paul Police Department is conducting the investigation with assistance from Virginia State Police. 

Reports of a firearm near the UVA Wise campus Saturday were a false alarm. The Wise County Sheriff's Office reports that they received a call about a male making threats with a firearm at the Walk2Campus apartments, near UVA Wise, at around 10 p.m. Saturday. The WCSO found that the reports of a firearm were unfounded after they made contact with the male who was making the threats. The sheriff's office said that there was no safety issues to the public, the residents of the apartment complex, or anyone on campus at UVA Wise. 

Man charged with second-degree murder after female found dead in Norton early Saturday morning. The Norton Rescue Squad was called at around 4 a.m. Saturday due to an unresponsive woman at an address on Petrey Street. Upon arrival, a 61-year-old female was found unresponsive and after being transported to Norton Community Hospital, she was pronounced dead. The woman was found to have had traumatic injuries to her body. The Wise County Sheriff's Office interviewed 60-year-old Danny Sturgill, of Norton, in relation to the death. The interview, along with corroborating evidence, led to Sturgill's arrest. He has been charged with second-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding and is being held at the Duffield Regional Jail. 

Advisory issued after around 438,000 gallons of sewage released into South Fork Powell River around big Stone Gap. ​The Virginia Department of Health reports that a sewage release occurred from a Big Stone Gap Department of Public Utilities sewer force main on Thursday into the Powell River. The advisory is for the South Fork Powell River near East Stone Gap to the Powell river at Big Stone Gap. The VDH added that no impacts to drinking water have been observed. People are advised to avoid recreational activities like swimming, wading, kayaking, tubing, or any other activity where submission in the water is likely. Activities like boating, fishing, and canoeing are allowed to continue with caution to avoid contact with the water.