A Kentucky man who was caught with meth making materials was given a chance to stay out of prison Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

Cecil Randy Gordon, 30, of 455 29th St., Ashland, pleaded guilty to a third-degree count of illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs, which included pseudoephedrine.

Prosecuting Attorney Brigham Anderson recommended the man be sentenced to two years in prison.

“Our office takes this very seriously,” Anderson said, explaining that meth production can cause harmful gases and even explosions.

J.T. Holt, attorney for Gordon, disagreed with the sentence, saying the man had already spent eight years of his life in prison, including a year in Kentucky for a probation violation relating to the drug charge.

“We do not see the need or benefit of placing him in prison for another two years,” Holt said. “Let him prove himself outside of prison. Get him involved in positive things in the community.”

Holt recommended sentencing Gordon to four years of community controls sanctions with three years in prison reserved.

Judge D. Scott Bowling agreed with Holt.

“You’ve been incarcerated nearly one year since this event,” Bowling said. “I’m inclined to agree to this because we now have three years over his head.”

Bowling sentenced the man to four years CCS under intensive supervised probation, outpatient drug and alcohol treatment, 200 hours community service, a $5,000 fine and a six-month driver’s license suspension.

Bowling also made it a condition of Gordon’s probation that he is not allowed to buy pseudoephedrine.

If he violates any of the conditions of his probation, Gordon could return to prison for up to three years.

“I’m not real optimistic but I’m willing to extend you the opportunity to prove you’re willing to lead a law-abiding life,” Bowling said.

In other cases:

• Kelly Byron, 26, of 1343 Hale St., Huntington, W.Va., was arraigned on a bill of information of fourth-degree theft, to which she pleaded guilty. Byron was accused of stealing copper from Intermountain Electronics.

Bowling sentenced Bryon to 17 months in prison with a judicial release to the STAR Community Justice Center when a bed becomes available. Byron was also ordered to pay $17,610 in restitution and perform 200 hours of community service.

• James Cooper Jr., 35, of 381 Buckridge Apt. 29, Bidwell, admitted CCS violations for failing to report to the adult probation department and was sentenced to eight months in prison.

• Mickey McKenzie, 22, of 213 County Road 53, Kitts Hill, admitted CCS violations of failing to report to the adult probation department and getting charged with a new crime. Bowling sentenced McKenzie to six months in prison.

• Angela Pruitt, 31, of 9713 State Route 217, Scottown, was arraigned on a bill of information of fifth-degree breaking and entering, to which she pleaded not guilty.

Bowling set bond at $2,500 cash or surety, $5,000 own-recognizance and set a pretrial for Oct. 16.

• Christopher Ball, 33, of 379 Township Road 155E, Pedro, was arraigned on a bill of information of three fifth-degree counts of possession of drugs, to which he pleaded not guilty. Bowling set bond at $2,000 cash or surety, $10,000 OR and GPS monitoring. A pretrial was set for Oct. 23.

• Tiffany Strange, 28, of 902 Gary Malone St. Lot 13, South Point, was arraigned on a fifth-degree count of theft, to which she pleaded not guilty. Bowling set bond at $10,000 OR and set a pretrial for Oct. 23.

• Joseph Whaley, 23, of 1111 S. Ninth St., Ironton, pleaded guilty to three fourth-degree counts of trafficking in heroin and was sentenced to eight months in prison.

• Toni Burns, 29, of 47 Township Road 1427 W., South Point, was sentenced to 11 months in prison for fifth-degree counts of forgery and theft in Judge Charles Cooper’s courtroom.

• Kea Fuhr, 36, of 416 Oak St., Ironton, pleaded guilty to a third-degree count of tampering with evidence and fifth-degree aggravated possession of drugs. Cooper set sentencing on Oct. 23.

• Margaret Sparks, 32, of 1693 Luci Mae Drive, Flatwoods, Ky., admitted CCS violations and was sentenced to 11 months in prison.

• James Staley, 35, of 209 Wilgus St., Proctorville, was arraigned on a third-degree count of possession of drugs (oxycodone), to which he pleaded not guilty. Cooper continued bond from a lower court and set a pretrial on Oct. 23.