CP courts hears probation, theft cases

Published 10:53 am Thursday, October 20, 2011

Probation violations and theft were among the offenses that brought people to Lawrence County Common Pleas Court Wednesday.

Mark Linkfield, 29, of 1127 County Road 1, South Point, admitted he violated his community control sanctions, also known as probation, by failing to report to his probation officer and testing positive for oxycontin use when his probation officer found him.

While Linkfield may have made some unwise decisions, his attorney Mike Gleichauf said he has paid his restitution and all fees and fines connected with his case.

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Judge D. Scott Bowling commended Linkfield for this and sentenced him to three months in prison. Linkfield was on probation for a 2010 breaking and entering conviction.

Melissa K. Schwab, 35, of 613 Pike St., Coal Grove, pleaded guilty on a bill of information to two counts of theft, one a felony and the other a misdemeanor. Bowling sentenced her to four years community control sanctions under intensive supervised probation (CCS/ISP) and ordered her to complete successfully a rehabilitation program at the STAR Community Justice Center. She must also pay $180 restitution to two victims.

“I apologize, your honor,” Schwab told Bowling. Schwab is accused of taking one victim’s credit card and money from a second victim.

Jeremy S. Lewis, 32, of 120 Township Road 606, Ironton, admitted he violated his probation and pleaded guilty to two new charges of theft from the elderly from a separate new case.

Lewis admitted he violated his probation by failing to report to his probation officer and by testing positive for use of marijuana and oxycontin when his probation officer found him.

He also admitted that getting into new trouble with the new charges was also a violation of his probation.

Bowling sentenced him to a total of 17 months in prison for the admissions in the two cases and ordered him to pay $50 in restitution.

Joseph Cremeans, 24, of 7096 County Road 15, Chesapeake, admitted he violated his probation by failing to report to his probation officer and testing positive for drug use once his probation officer caught up with him.

Bowling sentenced Cremeans to six months in prison. Cremeans is on probation for a 2010 drug conviction.