Judge advises defendant of maximum life prison sentence

A South Point man who was told he may face up to 10 years in prison for first-degree rape was notified Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court his maximum sentence is actually life in prison without parole.

Judge Charles Cooper rearraigned Naaman Lucas, 30, of 710 Little Solida Road, Apt. A, who is accused of raping a 7-year-old girl from January 2010 through August 2011.

Based on pretrial information and the fact that the victim is under 10 years old, Cooper said he wanted to advised Lucas of the sentence he may face if convicted.

Cooper scheduled another pretrial for Feb. 1 and a trial for Feb. 23.

Lucas had previously pleaded not guilty through his attorney Mike Gleichauf. He also faces a charge of third-degree attempt to commit burglary.

In other cases:

The defense attorney of Cameron Simmons, 34, of Columbus, filed a motion to dismiss his client’s escape charges.

Columbus attorney Jeremy Dodgion said the charges against Simmons “technically, do not meet the elements of escape.”

Dodgion argued that while Simmons was out on bail and failed to report back to begin his prison sentence, he was not under detention at the time, and therefore did not escape detention.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Brigham Anderson said the fact that Simmons did not report for commencement of his sentence, whether he was out on bond or not, would still be considered escape.

Simmons was originally arrested by the Ironton Police Department in February 2011, after the department responded to a call of a man and woman fighting at Shenanigans bar on South Third Street. When officers arrived, Simmons fled.

During the chase, Simmons stashed a head covering in a dryer vent of a nearby home, which contained crack cocaine, ecstasy pills and Oxycontin pills. DNA found on a bag recovered from the scene linked Simmons to the crime.

Simmons pleaded guilty in June and was sentenced to six years in prison for possession of crack cocaine, tampering with evidence, possession of drugs and misdemeanor assault.

Simmons did not report to jail for his sentence and was found 10 days later in Houston, Texas by the surety company that posted his $125,000 bond.

Cooper said he would make a decision and inform Dodgion and Anderson in the next two weeks.

If found guilty, Simmons could get a maximum of three years added to his original six-year sentence, which must be served consecutively.

Paul M. Moore, Jr., 44, of Huntington, W.Va., pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated robbery stemming from a 2009 purse-snatching incident.

Cooper sentenced Moore to four years in prison for his part of robbing a woman at the Walmart in Burlington.

According to Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Bob Anderson, Moore was the passenger in a car when he grabbed a woman purse at the Walmart. The woman didn’t let go of her bag, resulting in a fractured arm.

Co-defendant John Adkins, Jr. was the driver of the car. He pleaded guilty in January 2011 and was sentenced to four years in prison.

“I’d like to apologize for all the trouble I caused to the state,” Moore said. “I apologize to the victim, my family and the state of Ohio.”

Moore was represented by attorney Warren Morford.