An Ironton man arrested in December for stabbing a man to death and charged with murder pleaded guilty to a lesser offense Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

Joshua Thompson, 31, of 1717 1/2 Ashtabula St., pleaded guilty to a first-degree count of voluntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of 11 years in prison.

Judge Charles Cooper set sentencing for May 13.

Thompson was arrested in early December following an altercation between Thompson and Anthony Ridley.

According to Lawrence County Prosecuting Attorney Brigham Anderson, Ridley gave Thompson crack cocaine in exchange for a place to live.

On the night of Dec. 6, an argument about the amount of crack Thompson was to receive began, as well as an argument that Ridley was making sexual advances towards Thompson’s girlfriend, according to Anderson.

Thompson stabbed Ridley several times, after which time Ridley shot Thompson in the abdomen. Ridley died from his wounds.

In other cases:

• Two Proctorville teens recently indicted for inducing panic were arraigned Wednesday.

John Pacinhik and Samuel Patrick, both 18, and both with addresses listed as 179 Township Road 1233, each pleaded not guilty to second-degree charges of complicity to inducing panic and inducing panic, respectively. Pacinhik additionally pleaded not guilty to a fourth-degree count of trafficking in marijuana.

Cooper set bond at $50,000 cash plus GPS monitoring and house arrest for each defendant. Pretrials were set for May 27.

The two were arrested on April 1 following a report from the Fairland School District that alleged “alarming material” had been posted through the social media site Instagram.

• James E. Wolford, 36, of 1579 State Route 140, Oak Hill, was arraigned on two third-degree counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Cooper set bond at $50,000 cash, surety or property. A pretrial was set for May 6.

• Robert Gorby, 61, of 58 Township Road 1057, Proctorville, was arraigned on a third-degree count of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and fifth-degree theft, to which he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Cooper ordered a mental evaluation and set bond at $50,000 cash or surety.

• Tracy McDonald, 45, of 19 Township Road 31, Chesapeake, was arraigned on a fourth-degree count of assault on a peace officer, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Cooper set bond at $75,000 cash or surety.

• Bradney Adkins, 31, of 523 Township Road 98, South Point, was arraigned on two counts of second-degree burglary, to which he pleaded not guilty. Adkins also denied allegations that he violated his community control sanctions.

Cooper set bond at $150,000 cash or surety and $150,000 own-recognizance. A pretrial was set for May 6.

• Cameron Brewer, 25, of 45 Private Drive 129, Chesapeake, was arraigned on a second-degree count of burglary, to which he pleaded not guilty. Cooper set bond at $100,000 cash or surety and a pretrial was set for May 13.

• Donald Sisler Jr., 25, of 235 Township Road 151 E., Ironton was arraigned on a bill of information of third-degree failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and fifth-degree breaking and entering, to which he pleaded guilty.

Cooper sentenced the man to two years in prison.

• Bradley Vuker, 34, of London, Kentucky, admitted CCS violations and was sentenced to seven months in prison.