Man gets 10 years for rape

Published 12:00 am Sunday, February 12, 2012

A South Point man accused of raping a 7-year-old girl will spend the next decade in prison.

Naaman Lucas, 30, of 710 Little Solida Road, Apt. A, pleaded guilty to first-degree rape — a charge that could have gotten him life in prison without parole. Wednesday in Lawrence County common Pleas Court.

After a 10-year prison sentence, Lucas will have to register with the sex offender registry for life as a Tier III offender.

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According to the indictment, Lucas raped the girl from January 2010 through August 2011.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Smith said after considering the evidence of the case and speaking with the victim’s mother, the 10-year prison sentence was an appropriate resolution.

Judge Charles Cooper also handed down a two-year-prison sentence for third-degree attempt to commit burglary, to be served concurrently. Lucas also admitted to a probation violation Wednesday, but was given credit for time served and released from his community-controlled sanction violation commitment.

Lucas was represented by his attorney Mike Gleichauf.

In other cases:

Cooper sentenced an Ironton woman to prison for burglarizing an elderly citizen.

Amber Waddell, 26, of 2739 S. Fifth St., pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary and admitted to a CCS violation. Waddell was on community-controlled sanctions at the time of the burglary.

Cooper sentenced Waddell to the maximum eight years in prison for the burglary charge. He said anything less would, “demean the seriousness” of the crime. She was also ordered to pay $850 in restitution.

Cooper also sentenced Waddell to two years in prison for the CCS violation, to run concurrently.

Waddell’s attorney, Gleichuaf, asked Cooper to consider a brief furlough for Waddell so she could visit with her children and get her affairs in order before prison.

“I just hope you grant me a furlough so I can at least see my children,” Waddell told Cooper. “I’ve never run. I always turned myself in.”

Cooper denied the furlough because of the “serious nature” of the burglary, but allowed Waddell to set up a visit with her family in the court.

David Shope, 37, of 225 Cliff St., Napoleon, pleaded guilty to three count of felony non-support.

Shope was originally charged with an additional three misdemeanor charges of non-support but they were dropped as as part of a negotiated plea.

Shope was about $57,000 behind in child support for his three children.

Cooper sentenced Shope to four years CCS. He was also ordered to pay $750 per month, which included arrears and his current child support payment obligation.

Shope was represented by his attorney, Samantha Fields.

Matthew Moon, 32, of 174 Township Road, South Point, was arraigned on one count of having a weapon under a disability.

Moon pleaded not guilty through his attorney, David Reid Dillon. Cooper continued bond from a lower court and scheduled a pretrial for Feb. 22

Donald Large, 32, of 2714 S. Fifth St., Ironton, denied a CCS violation through his attorney, Warren Morford. Cooper scheduled a CCS trial Feb. 15.

Robert Early, 55, of 412 Township Road 203W, Ironton, was arraigned on one count of second-degree felonious assault.

Early pleaded not guilty through his attorney, Morford. Cooper allowed Early’s bond to continue from a lower court and scheduled a pretrial for Feb. 22.

Dwayne Allen Fortner, 25, of 120 Freeman Court, South Point, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree burglary late last week. Cooper sentenced Fortner to five years in prison.