Two local men plead guilty to drug trafficking charges

Published 12:00 am Sunday, July 3, 2005

Two men accused of drug trafficking were among those who entered guilty pleas last week in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

Brian Kelley, 39, of South Webster, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of complicity to trafficking in powder cocaine. McCown sentenced Kelley to four years community controlled sanctions under intensive supervised probation, which includes nine months of house arrest. Kelley was ordered to pay a $1,250 fine and surrender his driver's license for six months. If he violates the terms of his sanctions, he could be sent to orison for 11 months.

Raymond Crance, 36, of 2506 South Fourth St.,Ironton, pleaded guilty to one count of complicity to fourth-degree felony trafficking in crack cocaine, one count of fourth-degree felony trafficking in crack cocaine and one count of third degree felony trafficking in crack cocaine. Crance will spend a total of

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four years in prison and will pay a total of $10,000. McCown ordered him to surrender his driver's license for two years.

Laura Wicker, 22, of 414 Mary St., Ironton, pleaded guilty to one count of fifth-degree felony forgery, one count of fifth-degree felony passing bad checks and one count of fifth-degree felony complicity to forgery. She was sentenced to 60 days in the county jail and three years community controlled sanctions on each charge, to be served concurrently. McCown also ordered her to make restitution for her crimes.

Justin Murphy, 32, of Huntington, W.Va., pleaded guilty to a probation violation. He was originally convicted in January 2004 of one count of criminal non-support. McCown ordered Murphy to spend 60 days in jail but gave him credit for time served. Murphy faces a review hearing of his case Aug. 10.