Alleged meth trafficker rejects plea deal

Published 2:32 pm Thursday, June 30, 2016

A South Point man arrested in March for trafficking meth is set to go to trial next week after rejecting a final plea offer on Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

Andrew Holland, 33, of 1476 County Road 17, is charged with one first-, second-, fourth- and two third-degree counts of trafficking in drugs, as well as a fourth-degree count of improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle.

Lawrence County Prosecuting Attorney Brigham Anderson offered a prison sentence of eight years, explaining the maximum sentence if convicted at trial would be 29 years. Holland rejected that offer and a trial is set to begin Thursday, July 7.

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Holland, as well as two others, was arrested in March by the Lawrence Drug and Major Crimes Task Force following a buy bust operation where there were numerous controlled purchases of meth.

Holland was allegedly armed with a handgun and his vehicle contained more than $5,600 and 157 grams of meth, according to a release sent out in March.

In other cases:

• Matthew Carey, 27, of 6609 County Road 1, South Point, was sentenced to four years in prison for a second-degree count of burglary. Judge Charles Cooper also ordered the man to pay $600 in restitution.

• Krystena Burson, 28, of 34 Township Road 1485 Apt. 1, South Point, was arraigned on two counts of fourth-degree complicity to trafficking in cocaine, to which she pleaded not guilty. Cooper set bond at $25,000 own-recognizance and set a pretrial for July 13.

• Aaron Jones, 32, of 1200 28th Apt. 4, Huntington, was arraigned on fifth-degree counts of receiving stolen property and theft, to which he pleaded not guilty. Judge D. Scott Bowling set bond at $1,500 cash or surety and $10,000 OR plus GPS monitoring.

• Rachel Nance, 36, of 167 Private Drive, South Point, pleaded guilty to a fifth-degree count of possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor endangering children. Bowling sentenced the woman to treatment in lieu of conviction, which includes STAR.

• Linda McFann, 51, of 419 Vernon St., Ironton, admitted CCS violations and was sentenced to six months in prison.

• Marquies Bell, 19, of Detroit, Michigan, admitted CCS violations and was sentenced to 14 months in prison.

• Felicia Fields, 32, of 2201 N. Fourth St., Ironton, admitted CCS violations and was sentenced to four months in prison.

• Jeffrey Wallace, 55, of 409 Buckhorn St., Ironton, pleaded guilty to two fifth-degree counts of trafficking in heroin and a fifth-degree count of complicity to trafficking in heroin. Bowling sentenced the man to 13 months in prison and a one-year driver’s license suspension.

• Evelyn Caplinger, 43, of 113 Depot St., Coal Grove, pleaded guilty to third-degree tampering with evidence and fifth-degree possession of drugs. Bowling ordered a pre-sentence investigation and set sentencing for July 20.

• Rose Pinkerman, 31, of 970 Township Road 155 E., Pedro, admitted CCS violations and was sentenced to 14 months in prison.

• Michael Waggoner, 27, of 207 Nedra Drive, Barboursville, pleaded guilty to fifth-degree possession of heroin and misdemeanor possession of drug abuse instruments and drug paraphernalia. Bowling sentenced the man to treatment in lieu of conviction, which includes STAR.

• David Bocook, 46, of 212 Hamilton St., Coal Grove, pleaded guilty to a fifth-degree count of possession of heroin and was sentenced to treatment in lieu of conviction, which includes STAR.

• Courtney Gallion, 37, of 1515 S. Third St., Ironton, pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree count of trafficking in drugs. Bowling sentenced the woman to four years CCS/ISP, STAR, 200 hours community service and a six-month driver’s license suspension.