Man gets 8 years for selling pills
Published 12:38 am Sunday, April 20, 2014
An Ironton man arrested by the Lawrence County Drug and Major Crimes Task Force in February admitted selling prescription pills out of his home.
Billy Barnett, 38, of 2615 S. Fifth St., Ironton, pleaded guilty to charges of third-degree possession of drugs, three counts of fourth-degree trafficking in drugs, fifth-degree possession of drugs, third-degree tampering with evidence and third-degree having weapons under a disability Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.
Judge Charles Cooper sentenced the man to eight years in prison, three of which were the result of a gun specification listed on Barnett’s indictment. At the time of his arrest, Barnett was in possession of the firearm, as well as $7,533. The gun and money were forfeited to the state.
Barnett was also ordered to pay mandatory fines and his driver’s license was suspended.
Barnett was arrested at his home in February following a several months-long investigation by the task force.
Also arrested at the home was Lori Knipp, 48, of the same address.
Knipp pleaded guilty earlier this month to two fifth-degree counts of permitting drug abuse, fifth-degree possession of drugs and fourth-degree trafficking in drugs.
She was sentenced to a year in prison.
In other cases:
• Kelly Childers, 31, of 13 Colonial Court, Barboursville, W.Va., pleaded guilty to a first-degree count of aggravated robbery. Cooper sentenced the woman to eight years in prison.
“I’m very remorseful for what has happened,” Childers said.
• Tyler Angel, 25, of 1207 Clark St., Flatwoods, Ky., pleaded guilty to counts of fourth-degree possession of heroin and fifth-degree possession of criminal tools. A fourth-degree count of trafficking in drugs was dismissed.
Cooper sentenced the man to 17 months in prison, a $2,500 fine and a six-month driver’s license suspension.
• Bridget Stump, 28, of 216 S. Gullet Road, Franklin Furnace, pleaded guilty to a fifth-degree count of trafficking in drugs. Cooper ordered a presentence investigation.
• Jack Cremeans, 29, of 2615 S. Fifth St., Ironton, was sentenced to four years community control sanctions under intensive supervised probation for a count of fifth-degree theft, to which he previously pleaded guilty. Cooper also ordered the man to pay $2,000 restitution.
• Steven Lindsey, 19, of 245 Township Road 1057, Proctorville, was arraigned on a count of burglary, to which he pleaded not guilty. Cooper set bond at $100,000 cash or surety and $100,000 own-recognizance. A pretrial was set for April 23.
• Lori Willis, 48, of 2216 S. Sixth St., Ironton, admitted CCS and was sentenced to 60 days of house arrest with GPS monitoring and a $1,000 fine.
• Joshua Mullins, 27, of 1874 Palestine Road, Ashton, W.Va., admitted CCS violations and was sentenced to 70 days in prison.
• Sherry Harbolt, 42, of 1021 S. Seventh St., Ironton, was arraigned on a third-degree count of trafficking in drugs (Adderall in the vicinity of a school) and a misdemeanor count of endangering children, to which she pleaded not guilty.
Judge D. Scott Bowling set bond at $10,000 OR and set a pretrial for May 7.
• Craig Harber, 37, of 205 Wilgus St., Proctorville, pleaded guilty to a fifth-degree count of trafficking in drugs. Three other counts of the same charge were dismissed.
Bowling sentenced the man to 11 months in prison, a $1,250 fine and a six-month driver’s license suspension.
• Brendan Howard-Garner, 25, of 621 17th St,. Huntington, W.Va., pleaded guilty to two fourth-degree counts of trafficking in drugs. A charge of possession of criminal tools was dismissed.
Bowling sentenced the man to 17 months in prison and imposed a $2,500 fine.