Portsmouth man pleads in mobile meth lab case
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, July 4, 2012
A Portsmouth man admitted his involvement in a mobile meth lab Tuesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.
Randy Stevens, 42, of 1220 North Ave., pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacturing of drugs. The charge was originally a second-degree felony, but was amended, deleting the language that alleged the criminal act took place in the vicinity of a school.
Counts of first-degree illegal manufacturing of drugs and fifth-degree possession of criminal tools were dropped.
Judge Charles Cooper scheduled sentencing for July 11. Stevens was represented by attorney Scott Evans.
In late February, Stevens and three other men were stopped by a Hanging Rock police officer who noticed things about the vehicle they were in he thought were suspicious. A search of the truck allegedly confirmed the officer’s suspicions and the four men were arrested.
Danny Brown, 43, of 2121 Vermont Ave., Portsmouth, and Charles Bond II, 49, of 486 Hammerstein Road, Lot 110, Wheelersburg, pleaded guilty and have already been sentenced for their involvement in the meth lab.
Both were sentenced to eight years in prison for first-degree illegal manufacturing of drugs, second-degree illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacturing of drugs and fifth-degree possession of criminal tools.
In other cases:
• David Hansard, 29, of 2890 Clermont Road, Columbus, pleaded guilty to first-degree trafficking in cocaine and possession of cocaine Monday in court.
Cooper sentenced Hansard to five years in prison.
In early April, Hansard and three others were arrested when an officer with the Hanging Rock Police Department stopped a vehicle they were in. The officer said the passengers began to act suspiciously. A search of the car and suspects netted 44 grams of cocaine and more than $2,000 in cash.
• Hollie Davis, 43, of 5866 Davis Creek Road, Barboursville, W.Va., co-defendant in the case, appeared in court Wednesday.
Davis waived his right to a speedy trial through his attorney Chris Delawder.
Cooper also modified Davis’ bond because Adult Probation Officer Teresa Bond reported he did not pass his drug screen, testing positive for oxycontin and not providing a prescription.
Cooper set bond at $100,000 cash or surety and scheduled a pretrial for July 25.