Staff Report

 

IRONTON — A South Point man admitted his guilt to breaking and entering Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

Nicholas Blaylock, 28, of 832 County Road 15, pleaded guilty to the fifth-degree felony and two other counts of possession of criminal tools and resisting arrest were dropped.

Judge Charles Cooper continued the man’s sentencing until next week so Blaylock could attend a family funeral Wednesday.

Cooper ordered Blaylock to report back to the jail at 5 p.m. the same day, cautioning him that failing to do so would result in a more serious felony charge.

Cooper said his policy isn’t to let people go on furloughs after four people died from drug abuse in 2011 before they could report back to jail.

“People that looked amazingly like you lost their lives to their own hands,” Cooper said.

Cooper made an exception for Blaylock since his crime was not drug related, the judge said.

In other cases:

• Mark Wiley II, 30, of 60 Township Road 616, South Point, tested positive for oxycodone at his pretrial drug screening. Cooper doubled his bond to $50,000 cash, surety or property. Another pretrial was set for June 26.

• Joseph Jenkins, 38, of 615 County Road 3, Chesapeake, denied allegations he violated his community control sanctions. A trial was set for June 12.