Sentencing set for Thursday

After a three-day jury trial, an Ashland man was found guilty of trafficking prescription pills.

John F. Wright, 47, of 714 Bellefonte Princess Road, was convicted of second-degree aggravated trafficking in drugs and trafficking in drugs and possession of drugs, both third-degree felonies, on Friday in the courtroom of Judge Charles Cooper.

Robert Anderson, assistant prosecuting attorney who tried the case, said Wright faces a maximum sentence of 11 years in prison. He will be sentenced on Thursday.

Wright was arrested in November following a controlled drug buy by the Lawrence Drug and Major Crimes Task Force.

Anderson said the task force had previously arrested a man who said he could set up a buy with Wright.

“We had recorded telephone calls of John Wright setting it up that day,” Anderson said.

During the controlled buy, an exchange of more than 90 oxycodone pills was made and $4,420 was confiscated, which will be forfeited to the state.

Wright was represented by attorneys Richard Wolfson and Michael Curtis.

Also arrested during that buy was Cari L. Collins, 37, of 2088 Township Road 218, Ironton, who testified during the trial.

Collins entered a guilty plea in January to one count of trafficking in drugs, a second-degree felony. She will be sentenced at a later date.