Drug use was cited more than once Wednesday as the chief cause of criminal activity by some of the more than two dozen people making appearances in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

Brandon Mann, 36, of 301 Ben St., Chesapeake, pleaded guilty on a bill of information to charges of illegal conveyance of a prohibited item to a detention facility and theft.

Judge Charles Cooper sentenced him to four years community control sanctions under intensive supervised probation (CCS/ISP) and ordered Mann to successfully complete a rehabilitation program at the STAR Community Justice Center.

Mann was arrested for stealing tools. When he was taken to jail for that, authorities found drugs in his possession.

“I want the STAR program,” Mann told Cooper. “Even if I were not in this much trouble I would still want it.”

Misty Shavor, 30, of 4014 County Road 55, South Point, admitted she violated her probation by testing positive for drug use.

She was placed on probation after she pleaded guilty to theft and other charges.

Judge D. Scott Bowling sentenced her to 15 months in prison but with good behavior, she may be released after six months if she is accepted at STAR.

“I understand she has a severe drug problem and would like to get help for the drug problem,” Assistant Lawrence County Prosecutor said. “She had been to STAR before and needs the relapse program.”

The judge denied Shavor’s request for a brief furlough before she is sent to prison.

“I’m leery of that due to the drug problem,” Bowling said.

Rosie Moreland, 26, of 9669 State Route 141, Kitts Hill, pleaded guilty to charges of complicity to aggravated robbery and complicity to aggravated burglary. Cooper will sentence her at a later date following a pre-sentence investigation.

Colleen M. Snyder, 32, of 117 Meadow Lane, South Point, bypassed much of the criminal process by pleading guilty at her arraignment to charges of theft and aggravated possession of drugs.

In exchange for her guilty plea, two misdemeanor counts of drug possession were dismissed.

Bowling sentenced her to four years CCS/ISP and ordered her to successfully complete a rehabilitation program at STAR.