SP man pleads guilty to Tackle Box break-in

Published 10:54 am Thursday, October 20, 2011

A second man pleaded guilty to the April break-in at the Tackle Box Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

Rickey E. Winters, 52, of 417 Solida Road, South Point, pleaded guilty before Judge Charles Cooper to first-degree grand theft of 10 firearms, fifth-degree breaking and entering, fifth-degree vandalism and fourth-degree receiving stolen property.

Cooper scheduled sentencing for Nov. 2.

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In August, Gary Bruce Thompson Jr., 35, of 901 S. Seventh St., Ironton, also pleaded guilty to the break-in and was sentenced to eight years in prison and ordered to pay $650 in restitution and court costs.

In other cases:

Danny R. Watts, 38, of 1503 Patterson St., Flatwoods, Ky., pleaded guilty to one count each of tampering with evidence and being in possession of a weapon while under a disability, the disability being a prior felony conviction.

Watts’ attorney, Warren Morford, said his client “admitted his wrong doing and wants to put it behind him.”

Watts was sentenced to three years in prison for each count, to be served concurrently. He was also ordered to forfeit his firearm to the state of Ohio.

Kenneth Holtzapfel, 32, of 510 1/2 Railroad St., Ironton, had his bond modified after testing positive for cocaine.

Holtzapfel told Cooper he didn’t understand why he tested positive for the substance because he had been “nowhere near cocaine.”

“These tests are recognized as authoritative and accurate,” Cooper said, and set his bond to another $50,000 cash or surety.

Holtzapfel had previously pleaded not guilty to domestic violence.

Jeremy Scott Stump, 32, of 99 Pritchard St., Proctorville, pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree receiving stolen property.

Cooper continued Stump’s bond and scheduled his sentencing for Oct. 26.

Amanda L. Dempsey, 27, of 1403 County Road 171, Scottown, admitted to community-controlled sanctions violations.

Cooper sentenced Dempsey to eight months in prison with credit for time served in jail and STAR.