A Greene County man who allegedly employed shoplifters to steal merchandise from Walmart and other retailers, and then sold the goods on eBay, was among more than 20 people indicted on criminal charges Monday by a Greene County grand jury.

Ralph Raymond Phillips, 44, of 140 Decatur St., was indicted on a charge of theft of property valued over $10,000 but less than $60,000, by knowingly possessing at least $30,000 worth of merchandise belonging to Walmart.

Phillips was charged on July 19.

Greene County Sheriff's Department detectives said Phillips allegedly paid others to shoplift makeup and other items, including tools and medicine, from various stores.

He then sold the goods at a discount via the online auction and shopping website eBay, they said.

Makeup and other property stolen from Walmart in Greeneville that was recovered from the basement of Phillips' home off the Asheville Highway is worth $30,500, deputies said.

Smaller amounts of merchandise were stolen from other retailers that include Dollar General, Kmart, Lowe's, CVS and Walgreens, deputies said.

The total value of the items recovered from Phillips' basement is about $37,850, deputies said.

Phillips admitted to paying two people to shoplift goods over a three-month period in 2011, Detective Capt. John Huffine said in July.

Shoplifters were paid small sums by Phillips, who in turn sold items that included mascara and makeup on eBay at a discount, Huffine said.

Stolen goods were returned to the retail outlets they came from.

Investigators found "a pretty elaborate store type of operation" in Phillips' basement when they went to his home, Huffine said.

In July, the sheriff's department subpoenaed records from eBay to get a list of Phillips' online transactions.

Phillips is free on bond pending arraignment Friday.

In other grand jury action, a Greene County man who fired a handgun at a neighbor on Sept. 27 was indicted on an aggravated assault charge.

Indicted was Mark Edward Trantham, 36, of 500 Roaring Fork Road.

Trantham committed the crime by causing the alleged victim to fear for his safety "by firing at least four shots from a .25 caliber handgun," according to the indictment.

Sheriff's Deputy Randy Christy said in a report that Trantham stopped in front of the 46-year-old alleged victim's house and was sitting in a minivan.

When the man approached the vehicle, Trantham pointed a small handgun in the alleged victim's direction and fired between four and six rounds before driving off, the report said.

Four .25 caliber shell casings were found in the road in front of the victim's house. The alleged victim was not injured.

Trantham will appear Friday in court for arraignment.

A Greene County Detention Center inmate who walked away from Laughlin Memorial Hospital, where he had been taken to receive medical attention, was indicted on a charge of felony escape.

Gregory Matthew Lee, 34, of 105 Green Lane, Limestone, was indicted on a charge of criminal attempt to commit aggravated robbery, in connection with the attempted robbery and beating July 21 of a 73-year-old man in the men's room of a Greeneville fast food restaurant.

The victim, from Chuckey, suffered "serious bodily injury" as a result of the attack, the indictment said.

The victim was in the men's room at the Hardee's restaurant at 2670 E. Andrew Johnson Hwy., when a man approached from behind, placed a hand on his shoulder and demanded money, Greeneville police Officer Clifford Lawing said in a report.

The victim turned around and told the robber he did not have any cash "and the offender started hitting him in the face," the report said.

The victim attempted to fight back and was pushed down before the offender ran out the door. Witnesses told police the suspect ran toward the Greene Villa Motel, where Lee was located a short time later.

Lee, who remains in custody, will appear in court Friday for arraignment.

Other indictments handed up Monday by the Greene County Grand Jury include:

*Joshua Thomas Roberts, 27, of 188 Shane St., was indicted on a felony escape charge. Roberts was taken into custody minutes after a Sept. 18 escape attempt, which occurred after he was taken to Laughlin Memorial Hospital for medical treatment, Sheriff's Department officials said.

Roberts was being held in the Greene County Detention Center on unrelated charges of theft between $1,000 and $10,000, and theft under $500, deputies said.

He remains in custody pending arraignment Friday on the escape charge.

* Joshua Darrell Powers, 20, of 3665 Mt. Carmel Road, Mosheim, was indicted on a charge of theft of property valued over $1,000 in connection with a robbery April 21 at the BP station near Exit 36 of Interstate 81 in Baileyton.

Sheriff's deputies said a man entered the BP station carrying what appeared to be a gun in his waistband. He demanded money and fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money and cigarettes.

A toy gun was recovered shortly after the robbery.

Powers, who remains in custody, will appear Friday in court for arraignment.

* Travis Jerome Wilhoit, 20, of 4960 Dulaney Road, was indicted on a charge of introduction of drugs into a penal institution.

Wilhoit, a Greene County Detention Center workhouse inmate returning from work release, committed the offense June 8 "by knowingly taping a small plastic bag containing eight different pills to his genital area," a correction officer's report said.

Six tablets of Alprazolam and Clonazepam, Schedule VI controlled substances, were found on Wilhoit, the indictment said.

Wilhoit will appear Friday for arraignment.

* Tommy Alan Hale, 53, of 129 Bolton Road, was indicted on charges of delivery of a Schedule II controlled substance and sale of a Schedule II controlled substance.

Indictments state that on July 8, 2010, Hale delivered five tablets of Oxycodone to an agent of the Third Judicial District Drug Task Force; and on Nov. 18, 2010, sold four tablets of Roxycodone to an agent.

Hale will appear Friday for arraignment on the charges.