Drug offenders, others plead guilty

Ironton woman pleads to food stamp charge

By Teresa Moore | The Tribune

Published Saturday, October 31, 2009

Two women accused of drug offenses were among those pleading guilty Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

Sarah K. Brace, 20, of 2045 County Road 181, Ironton, pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs within the vicinity of a juvenile.

Judge Charles Cooper sentenced her to four years in prison.

“Your honor, I did commit those crimes,” Brace told Cooper. “I was on drugs at the time. I look forward to making myself a better person not only for myself but for my son.”

She told Cooper her family was supporting her during this time and that she was not a bad mother.

Brace must also forfeit her driver’s license for a year.

Brittany Lyons, 30, of 105 Rowe St., Coal Grove, pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in drugs and one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs.

Lyons told Cooper she has a small child and wants to get her life straightened out.

“I know I messed up,” Lyons said. “This is going to be my chance to make my life better.”

Cooper sentenced her to four years in prison.

Also Wednesday, Tamara Grubb, 23, of 114B Freeman Court, South Point, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of checks and two counts of forgery.

Judge D. Scott Bowling sentenced her to 33 months in prison and ordered her to pay $225 in restitution.

In another matter, William Derrick French, 30, of 1577 County Road 52, Ironton, pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal non support, all misdemeanors.

In exchange for his guilty plea, three counts of felony non support were dismissed.

Cooper sentenced French to six months in jail but suspended the sentence, noting that French had paid $8,000 toward his child support arrearage since he was arraigned on these charges.

French must pay $150 a month additional in child support to erase the rest of an $18,000 arrearage and serve three years probation.

French has three children for whom he is paying the child support.

Lillian Jackson, 44, of 707 Ashtabula St., Ironton, preempted future court proceedings by pleading guilty at her arraignment. She was initially charged with illegal use of food stamps. Wednesday, that charge was amended to an attempted illegal use of food stamps.

Cooper sentenced her to six months in jail but suspended the sentence and ordered her to serve two years probation and 15 days community service.

Assistant Lawrence County Prosecutor Brigham Anderson said Jackson was stopped by the Ohio State Highway Patrol for another unrelated matter and was found to have some one else’s food stamp card.

She reportedly told the trooper she was keeping the card for someone.

Gina McClellan, 46, of 3353 State Route 141, Ironton, was arraigned on charges of illegal conveyance of prohibited items to a detention facility and two counts aggravated possession of drugs.

She pleaded not guilty through her attorney, David Reid Dillon. Bowling set bond a $25,000 own recognizance bond and scheduled a Nov. 18 pretrial.

---

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?

---