Chesapeake woman pleads guilty to perjury

Published 12:00 am Sunday, July 29, 2007

Bearing false witness is one of the no-nos spelled out in the 10 Commandments and that transgression has landed a local woman in hot water with local authorities, too.

Ashley Dickson, 22, of 162 Township Road 1043, Chesapeake, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court to one count of perjury.

According to the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office, Dickson gave two conflicting statements to authorities investigating a domestic violence complaint she had filed.

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The statement she gave during a session of the Lawrence County grand jury was significantly different from the one she had given earlier.

When Judge Charles Cooper asked her how she pleaded to the charge, she answered “guilty” in a low voice as she sat beside her attorney, Paul Knipp.

She will be sentenced this week and could receive a maximum of five years in prison and could be fined a maximum of $10,000.

In other cases, Paul McMaster, 21, of 2709 County Road 32, Chesapeake, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count each of burglary and carrying a concealed weapon.

Judge Richard Walton sentenced McMaster to a total of four years in prison. However, Assistant Lawrence County Prosecutor Bob Anderson said if McMaster does not get into trouble while he is in prison, the prosecutor’s office would not oppose judicial release after 18 months if he can get into a community-based correctional facility (CBCF) or after 24 months if he can’t.

McMaster’s attorney, Chris Delawder, said the incidents that led to McMaster’s arrest and guilty plea were unfortunate for all involved.

“Mr. McMaster is a young man; he has no prior criminal record. His grandfather raised him and He (the grandfather) is sitting in the back of the courtroom today. He tells me Paul has been a pretty good boy, but he developed a problem with drugs and that is what is at the root of this,” Delawder said.

Also Wednesday, James R. Bailey, 27, of 400 Spruce St., Ironton, pleaded guilty to charges of complicity to theft, breaking and entering and violating his probation. He was sentenced to a total of one year in prison. Walton ordered Bailey to pay restitution to his victims as well.

That amount is not to exceed $7,000. Walton denied to request for a brief furlough before Bailey was to report to prison.

“A couple of days is all I’m asking,” Bailey had said in asking for the furlough and in regards to his sentence. “I’m thankful for what I got considering what I was facing.”

Marcus Murphy, 19, of 810 S. 10th St., Ironton, was arraigned Wednesday on a count of felonious assault. He pleaded not guilty through his attorney, Derick Fisher. Cooper set bond at $25,000 cash or surety or $50,000 property and ordered Murphy to report to court Aug. 1 for a pretrial conference.

Ted E. Arrington, Jr., 20, of 96 Private Drive 10948, Chesapeake, was arraigned on one count of grand theft. He pleaded not guilty through his attorney, Delawder. Cooper set bond an own recognizance (OR) bond of $15,000 and ordered Arrington to return to court Aug. 8 for a pretrial conference.

Roy E. Fannin, 37, of Ashland, Ky., was arraigned on one count of rape. He pleaded not guilty through his attorney, Warren Morford.

Cooper set bond at $100,000 cash or surety or $200,000 property and set an Aug. 1 pretrial conference. The alleged victim was a 16-year-old girl.

Jennifer Gothard, 27, of 1173 County Road 1, South Point, was arraigned on one count each of complicity to trafficking in crack cocaine and trafficking in crack cocaine.

She pleaded not guilty through her attorney, Tyler Smith. Walton set bond at $65,000 cash or $130,000 property and set a pretrial conference for Aug. 1.

David Brammer, 54, of 228 Daisy Drive, Proctorville, was arraigned on one count of improperly discharging a firearm. He pleaded not guilty through Delawder, who is also his attorney. Walton set bond at $25,000 cash and ordered Brammer to return to court this week for a pretrial conference.

Rebecca Mutters, 37, of Huntington, W.Va., was arraigned on two counts of breaking and entering. She pleaded not guilty through her attorney, Philip Heald. Cooper set an OR bond of $50,000 and scheduled an Aug. 8 pretrial conference.