Video summary
A Pike County man named John Yelton was sentenced to twenty years in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender for life after pleading guilty to twelve counts of rape and sexual abuse involving three minors. The crimes occurred in April 2025, though the transcript contains conflicting dates regarding when he pleaded guilty; however, his sentencing took place recently following testimony from one of the victims read into evidence. That victim expressed deep concern over her current situation, noting that she has been moved between multiple facilities and schools due to trauma-related issues, resulting in isolation from community activities and struggles with her education. Despite a recommendation for thirty years based on the severity of the case and the need to prevent any contact with victims or their families, Judge Eddie Coleman imposed the twenty-year sentence while maintaining lifetime registration requirements.
In separate news regarding public safety, sixty-three-year-old Johnny Ray McQueen was arrested in Prestonburg after fleeing police pursuit following a traffic stop for failing to comply with sex offender registration laws in Boyle County. McQueen had previously been convicted of first-degree sexual abuse involving a thirteen-year-old in Madison County back in 1982 and was living off the books when deputies spotted him entering his vehicle on Front Street. Instead of complying, he drove erratically down the wrong side of the road, nearly striking pedestrians before crashing into a riverbank where he abandoned the car and attempted to flee on foot only to be captured seconds later. He now faces multiple charges including fleeing police, endangerment, criminal mischief, various traffic violations in Floyd County, and failing to register as a sex offender, with authorities holding him on a twenty-five thousand dollar cash bond pending further proceedings.
The broadcast also highlighted efforts within the Buckhannon-Preston-Boone school district to rebuild athletic programs by merging students from three different schools into unified teams. Coaches emphasized establishing high standards rooted in work ethic and physical conditioning through weight room training, noting that despite initial challenges of integrating kids who had attended separate institutions, bonding has progressed well during summer practices. The community expressed pride in their new stadium facilities and the excitement surrounding upcoming games, with coaches aiming to win their first match to build momentum while fostering camaraderie among players who now attend events together at local gyms like the YMCA. This consolidation aims not only to improve athletic performance but also to strengthen community ties by bringing students from smaller schools into a larger, more supportive environment.
Local initiatives focused on reconnecting residents with public resources were featured prominently through new programs at the Floyd County Public Library and advocacy work in Washington D.C. The library launched "Coffee and Cards," a weekly Monday event designed to combat isolation among seniors and other community members by offering board games, card tournaments, and social interaction while reintroducing patrons to underutilized services like study rooms and movie rentals. To encourage attendance despite perceptions that digital resources can be accessed from home, the library introduced promotional giveaways such as canvas bags and umbrellas featuring their logo through a "Shoot the Moon" drawing series leading up to fiscal year-end prizes including a big screen TV. Additionally, attorney Ned Pillarsdorf was spotlighted for his pro bono work representing vulnerable individuals in courtrooms and classrooms before expanding his advocacy efforts nationally, reinforcing the theme of supporting those who need it most within both local and broader contexts.
Read the full video transcript
A Pikeville man is sentenced for rape
and sex abuse of three children. And a
central Kentucky sex offender is
arrested in Prestonburg after a chase.
I'm Robin Tilman and this is the
Mountaintop Daily.
A Pike County man who pleaded guilty to
rape and sex abuse of three children was
in court today for sentencing. I was in
the courtroom as he learned his fate.
John Yelton appeared in Pike County
Judicial Court today to receive his
sentencing. He was charged with 12
counts of rape and sexual abuse of three
minors in April of 2025. He plead guilty
to the counts of rape and sex abuse in
June of this year and was recommended a
20-year sentence. Today in court, one of
the minors had her testimony read. They
are all in Michael therapy and
medication for trauma that Bond is segre
and one of them is at a facility move to
her mental health issues and concars
that have resulted
from this kit like been moved around
well lady that's here has been in three
different places since her removal and
the address have also been around quite
a bit as well and I don't get to
communicate her procedure on a daily
basis like they had previously
also said she's isolated from community
at this point. She was several hours
away from here and now she's in a new
school where she was in a match change
hall this year anyway because of because
of a change in place but she's been
prevented from participating in
community events and extra activities.
She's also struggled actively and has
poor grades. It is her um recommendation
that Mr. Y see high the 30 years in
prison intent. She asked for affirmative
laws of final rise although it is by
stick there and have any contact with
her but no I would join in her
recommendation as long as
>> Judge Eddie Coleman took the
recommendation of the court and
sentenced Yelton to 20 years in prison
with a lifetime registration as a sex
offender.
A central Kentucky sex offender is
facing multiple charges after police say
he fled from a deputy in Prestonburg
Tuesday. 63-year-old Johnny Ray McQueen,
who has recently been living in Oxer,
was convicted in Madison County of
firstdegree sexual abuse involving a
13-year-old in 1982. The Floyd County
Sheriff's Office says McQueen had been
living in Oxer after his last reported
address in Danville. A deputy spotted
him getting into his vehicle on Front
Street and ordered him out, but police
say McQueen instead drove away.
Authorities say he drove the wrong way
down Front Street, nearly hitting two
pedestrians before driving through a
parking lot and onto the riverbank. He
then abandoned the vehicle and ran, but
was captured seconds later. McQueen is
now charged with fleeing police, want
endangerment, criminal mischief, and
several traffic violations in Floyd
County along with failing to comply with
sex offender registration requirements
in Boille County. He's being held in the
Floyd County Jail on a $25,000 cash bond
coming up after the break. If you like
caffeine and games, the Floyd County
Library has just the event for you.
We'll tell you about it when the
Mountaintop Daily continues. But first,
sports and weather.
>> You know, we just got to we got to set a
high standard for kids, you know, and
that's starting, you know, like we
started back in December. Uh we really
emphasize the weight room. You know,
we've met it's been it's been kind of
tough where they've been in three
different schools. uh getting them
together, get them on the same page. But
my my coaching staffs did a tremendous
job of emphasizing the weight room at
all three schools. And then we finally
got them together here in the
summertime. And like I said, the bonding
and the meshing is going well. And just
like like we we got to set high
standards. We got you know, it's got to
be you know, we're going to be built
from uh you know, work ethic, the the
weight room and and and you know, we're
going to be fast and physical. So I'm
just saying, you know, our culture in
Buck Canon County is is you know, I
think it's built off toughness. You
know, you you take the old hurly teams,
you take the old garden teams, the old
grundy teams in the 90s and a lot of
good football there. And you know, if
it's one thing I think these communities
bring is toughness to to it, you know,
and I think that's what we got to we got
to build from the ground up.
>> Well, you know, man, it's it's not been
bad. They all know each other anyway,
you know, and like I think they're
really enjoying the camaraderie and just
getting together with everybody and, you
know, here after practice every day, you
know, they're just having a good time.
They're all going to the YMCA together.
They're hanging out. So, like I said,
the meshing and the bonding between the
kids have has has went really well.
>> So, tails down in your back pedal. Push
up your toes. Let's go. Let's go.
>> Come on, Mark.
>> It's really good for this uh community.
Like, we had a bunch of three little
schools around when I came up. I came up
last year from North Carolina coming
from a bigger school and uh it was just
like a different community coming into a
smaller school. you know, everybody and
uh I feel like it's better for
the players and all the athletic
programs and coming together
>> and I think it's going to be good.
>> I mean, for me, it's to win that first
game. I mean, that's the biggest goal
for us. You know, I think we're in we're
ramping up. We're getting in great shape
right now. I think um I think that that
first win would really do us some good
as far as momentum wise. you know, Bana
County is fortunate to to have a stadium
of that nature, you know, that we have
up there. And and I just think uh you
know, the kids are fortunate and they're
all excited about it. It's bring a lot
of excitement in the community and I
just, you know, we couldn't be prouder
of the facilities they built up there.
But, you know, we just want to uh we
want to make everybody proud and we want
to put a good a good program on the
field.
>> EAGLES ON THREE. TWO EAGLES.
Ned Pillarsdorf fights for the underdog
in courtrooms where he advocates [music]
for the most vulnerable and in
classrooms where atrisisk kids get a
second chance.
Ned doesn't just talk about things. Ned
shows up and people notice.
He's the best pro bono attorney [music]
in the nation.
Now he's bringing his fight to
Washington.
I'm Ned Pillarsdorf and I approve this
message.
>> Okay, raise your hand if you've got a
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today because we are you. We are
Appalachin Wireless. Some people can't
function without coffee. Others like to
fill their days with games. If you fall
into either category or both, the Floyd
County Library is ready to welcome you
for coffee and cards. Connor tells us
about it. The Floyd County Public
Library has been hard at work to bring
the community of Prestonburg and the
Commonwealth together. Rendel Reno, the
adult service programmer with the
library, has come up with an event to do
just that, coffee and cards. An event
hosted every Monday to bring everyone
from all walks of life to sit down, meet
new friends, and enjoy some coffee and
cards. Here is Reno to tell us more.
>> And then I used to serve at the
different senior citizen centers. Okay.
Initially, I started just going in and
playing Uno or Skipbo or whatever with
the senior citizen centers. And then I
said, "Okay, let me let me try to bring
that here. Let's do a rook tournament or
let's do UNO or whatever." Okay. The
whole purpose of that is to get you to
come into the library, expose the li you
to the library so you see all the
services and the and um the things that
we have for you to do. We have a have a
host of rooms here you can use. We have
um host of study places that you can
use. Um there's a little play place
upstairs for the kids to play. Um the
whole purpose I mean all that is come in
use your public library. That's what
we're here for. That that's what we're
here for. We want to want to be used.
Maybe you are reading your books on a
Kindle. Doesn't mean you have to come in
for a book. Come in get get a movie. We
have games. And you just saw we have a
store room of of board games and card
games for people to come and borrow. So
that that's that's it. Come in. Come and
play cards with me. Come in. Let's talk.
>> With more events like these planned for
the future, Reno invites everyone to
come out and enjoy some time with the
community and meet new friends every
day. The library will continue to be a
gathering place for friends and family
alike.
>> We've started a promotion to try to get
people to come back to their library.
Okay. Like I said, CO has it injured
injured the library services. Okay, a
lot of people don't didn't come in, then
they stopped coming in. Also, AI,
electronic services, all this stuff that
people thought that they could get at
the library before they think they can
get just get at home. Okay, like I said,
our our um logo is connecting,
supporting, and recreating uh community.
not only reintroduce you to the library
services and stuff, okay? It helps you
to find friends, helps you to socialize
again. So, we've started a promotion
called Shoot the Moon and and by that is
entice you to come to the library. We're
giving away We've got a weekly drawing
that you get a canvas bag with a
library's logo on it. We've got a
monthly drawing that you'll get an
umbrella with a library's logo on it.
It's a nice umbrella with a a library's
logo on it. And then at the end of our
fiscal year, which is June 30th, um
that'll be the last day we'll take an
entry for the annual drawing. And on the
July 1st, I'll do for Big Screen TV.
>> Reporting for Mountaintop News, I'm
Connor Kidd.
>> That will do it for this edition of the
Mountaintop Daily. Be sure to check us
out at 6 p.m. every weekday on
Mountaintop TV, the Mountaintop TV app,
and the Mountaintop News Facebook page.
With your Mountaintop Daily, I'm Robin
Tilman for Mountaintop News.
>> [music]