Common pleas court cases heard

Published 8:27 am Thursday, November 15, 2018

Several cases were heard in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court this week.

• Franklin Aldridge, 36, of 801 S. Seventh St., Ironton, pleaded not guilty to possession of drugs (methamphetamine), a fifth-degree felony. Judge Andy Ballard set bond at $50,000 cash or surety and $100,000 OR. Pretrial was set for Nov. 27.

• Emory Burke, 37, of Nelsonville, pleaded guilty to four counts of theft, two fifth-degree felonies and two first-degree misdemeanors, receiving stolen property, a first-degree misdemeanor, and two counts of tampering with evidence, both third-degree felonies. Ballard set sentencing for Dec. 4.

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• James Chaffins, 37, of 645 A Coal Bank Hollow, Ironton, pleaded guilty to complicity to trafficking in drugs and trafficking in drugs (morphine), both fourth-degree felonies. Ballard sentenced him to four years community-controlled sanctions (CCS) under intensive supervised probation (ISP) with 36 months reserved, and ordered him to complete 200 hours community service and pay court costs.

• Bradley Collins, 55, of 126 Fifth Ave., Huntington, West Virginia, pleaded not guilty to aggravated trafficking in drugs and possession of drugs (methamphetamine), both second-degree felonies. Ballard set bond at $100,000 OR and placed him on GPS monitoring.

• Gary Fields, 57, of 396 County Road 70, Lot 3, Proctorville, pleaded not guilty to possession of drugs (Oxycodone), a fifth-degree felony. Ballard set bond at $50,000 cash or surety and $100,000 OR. Pretrial was set for Dec. 12.

• Cheyenne Halley, age and address unknown, denied CCS violations. Ballard set CCS trial for Nov. 21.

• Jerry Mays, 50, of 6992 County Road 1, South Point, previously pleaded not guilty to tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony, and possession of heroin, a felony of the fifth-degree. He failed a drug screen on Wednesday, and Ballard increased his bond to $50,000 cash or surety and $100,000 OR.

• Christopher Sowards, 31, of 1043 Park Ave., Culloden, West Virginia, denied CCS violations. Ballard set CCS trial for Nov. 27.

• Mason Thacker, 31, of 4429 State Route 93, Ironton, denied CCS violations. Ballard set CCS trial for Nov. 21.

• Edward Holsinger, 48, of 1119 S. Third St., Ironton, previously pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine ad possession of drugs (hydrocodone), both fifth-degree felonies. Ballard sentenced him to 18 months in prison with credit for time served.

• Summer Paradise, 26, of Elkview, West Virginia, pleaded not guilty to identity fraud, a fifth-degree felony, receiving stolen property, a fifth-degree felony, and possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, both minor misdemeanors. Judge Charles Cooper set pretrial for Nov. 27.