Maybe they prayed for mercy, but they didn’t get it.

Two men charged earlier this month in connection with break-ins at three Ironton churches were each sentenced this week to a year in prison after pleading guilty to those crimes.

According to information from the office of Lawrence County Prosecutor J.B. Collier, Christopher A. Frazier 24, 1104 1/2 Park Ave., Ironton, and Scott D. Christian, 25, 662 State Route 650, Ironton, each pleaded guilty Wednesday to three counts of fifth-degree felony breaking and entering and one count each of fourth-degree felony safe cracking. Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Richard Walton sentenced each man to 11 months in prison on each count of breaking and entering and 12 months for the safe-cracking charge but the sentences will run concurrently.

Christian and Frazier were arrested Oct. 16 inside Central Christian Church after Ironton police were alerted to a break in at that house of worship. They were later charged in connection with the break-in the same night at the Church of Christ and a break-in two weeks prior at Sharon Baptist Church.