An Ironton man running from the law still wanted a hot date for New Year’s. He got a stay in the Lawrence County jail and a future engagement with the judge.

All was thanks to a creative bail bondsman and a popular social networking website.

A bondsman picked up Nicholas C. Sycks, 24, of 3466 County Road 181, Ironton, on Dec. 31. The bondman created a fictitious account on the social networking site Facebook. On the account, the bondsman claimed to be an attractive female and requested a date for New Year’s Eve, he said. When Sycks showed up, his “date” was ready to take him into custody, Judge Charles Cooper said.

Sycks is charged with two counts of fourth-degree failure to appear, fifth-degree aggravated drug possession and fifth-degree escape in three separate cases.

He was arraigned Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court. Cooper set bond at $100,000 cash or surety and set a pretrial hearing for next week.

Also in court Wednesday, a family who was originally charged with felonious assault pleaded no contest and were found guilty of a lesser charge. John A. Sudderth, 55, of 711 Washington St., Ironton, Deborah L. Garred, 39, of 819 S. Seventh St., Ironton, Roxana Sudderth, 46, also of 711 Washington St., and Brittany S. Sudderth 22, of 207 Third St. #3, South Point all pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault. Bowling sentenced them to one year of probation plus a suspended sentence of 180 days in jail. Bowling also imposed a restraining order against the family for the victim.

In other cases:

Ronald Koster, 63, of 357 County Road 16, Pedro, pleaded no contest to two counts of using a weapon while intoxicated, improper handling of a firearm and retaliation.

Bowling found Koster guilty and sentenced him to two 180-day jail sentences, both of which were suspended, four years of community-controlled sanctions and ordered him to successfully complete the STAR community justice program and pay court costs.

Eric D. McGuire, 24, of 2301 S. Sixth St., Ironton, pleaded guilty to a bill of information that included a charge of fourth-degree grand theft of a motor vehicle. Bowling sentenced McGuire to four years of community-controlled sanctions and ordered him to successfully complete the STAR community justice program.

McGuire’s co-defendant, Thomas Massie, 26, of 1505 Lawrence St. C8, Ironton, pleaded guilty in Cooper’s courtroom to one count of grand theft of a motor vehicle. The two were convicted of stealing a four-wheeler. Cooper also sentenced Massie to four years of community-controlled sanctions and the STAR program. Between the two of them, the men will have to pay $5,000 in restitution to the victim.

Willie Abbott, 25, of 902 Gary Malone St., South Point, pleaded guilty to theft of drugs, three counts of felony theft, four counts of misdemeanor theft and misdemeanor contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a child. Cooper sentenced Abbott to a total of one year in prison.

Heather Martin, 31, of 403 Fourth St. E., Apartment 15, South Point, pleaded guilty to fifth-degree forgery. In exchange for a guilty plea to forgery, Lawrence County prosecutors dropped two charges that included aggravated drug possession and endangering children.

Buddy Hardy, 27, and Tonya Hardy, 22, were sentenced for third-degree burglary. The husband and wife, both of 25 Township Road 1067, South Point, pleaded guilty to the charge Dec. 30. Cooper sentenced Buddy Hardy to four years in prison because he has a prior criminal record, he said. He sentenced Tonya Hardy to four years of community-controlled sanctions because she does not have a criminal record and because the couple recently had a baby, Cooper said. Tonya Hardy is also required to undergo outpatient drug counseling. The couple was also ordered to pay $100 in restitution to repair a door that was damaged in the burglary.