Fraud, burglary among others heard

Judge Charles Cooper sentenced two individuals on Wednesday for unlawful sexual relations with minors.

In the first case, Charles I. Hash, 34, of Charleston, West Virginia, was sentenced to four years of community control sanctions (CCS) with intensive supervised probation (ISP) and ordered to register as a Tier I sex offender. Hash was accused of consensual sexual contact with a minor female, aged 15.

According to the testimony of the victim, she met Hash through an online dating app before meeting him to smoke marijuana and have sex on at least two separate occasions. Once on an isolated back road in Lawrence County and once at his home in Charleston. Cooper reserved 17 months in an appropriate penal institution for Hash should he violate his CCS.

In the second case, Teresa L. Willis, 45, of Ironton, was sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to register as a Tier I sex offender after being found guilty of having sexual relations with two minor males, 15 and 16-years-old, on multiple occasions over the course of several months. Willis was familiar with the family of the 15 year old and admitted to discussing sexual positions and technique with him and his 16 year old best friend, but initially denied that sexual contact took place. Willis will be subject to post release control (PRC) after serving her sentence.

Gary F. Hetzel, 72, of Proctorville, was sentenced to 180 days, suspended sentence, two years of probation, a $500 fine, and two years of license suspension after pleading guilty in the misdemeanor negligent homicide of his wife. Hetzel’s wife died in an automobile accident after Hetzel went left of center while going around a curve in the road, and struck another vehicle head on after over-correcting.

In other cases, Judge Cooper sentenced Eric A. Collins to five years in prison on a burglary charge, sentenced Tammy Lowe-Hardin to two years in prison for CCS violations, sentenced Richard L. Smith to an in-patient VA clinic for CCS violations, with CCS to continue, and sentenced Gregory Spears to one year in prison for CCS violations. Ryan Fuller had his case continued after an evaluation declared that though he was competent to stand trial, more investigation was needed to determine if he was competent at the time of the offense.

In Judge Andrew Ballard’s courtroom, Richard Gee, 54, of Ironton, was sentenced to four years CCS with ISP, and ordered to serve in an in-patient program at Riverside Treatment Center, including any post treatment care the facility may order, after pleading guilty to trafficking in Xanax. Gee was also given three years PRC, with 17 months reserved if he violates his CCS. Gee will be the first individual to utilize the services of Riverside Treatment Center.

“The court looks forward to you being the first successful referral to Riverside,” Ballard told Gee, reminding him that it was “still up to (him) to take advantage” of the opportunity being provided.

Danny Henry, 57, of South Point, was sentenced to four years of CCS with ISP, with 17 months reserved, and ordered to successfully complete a program with STAR Community Justice Center and perform 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty to selling or offering to sell Oxycodone.

Patricia I. Layne, 32, of Ironton was sentenced to four years in prison and court costs for trafficking in methamphetamine.

Ronda S. Littlejohn, of South Point, had her trial date set for Feb. 16 in a drug trafficking case. Littlejohn is accused of trafficking in methylphinidate.

Roland J. Sammons III, 52, of South Point, plead guilty and was sentenced to six months in jail, and ordered to pay $5,686.57 in restitution in a Worker’s Compensation fraud case.

Eric A. Smith, 31, of Cross Lanes, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and was sentenced to four years of CCS with ISP, with 11 months reserved, and ordered to complete an outpatient drug counseling program.

Larry Williams, 38, of Ironton was sentenced to four years of CCS with ISP, with 22 months reserved, and ordered to complete a program with STAR Community Justice Center and 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty to trafficking in Xanax.

Trent Smoot, 38, of South Point, had his trial date set in a DUI case. Smoot was offered a five-year sentence on his first count of DUI, with the second count dismissed and his third count, of driving while his license was under suspension from a previous DUI case, earning him six months to be served concurrently, in addition to a probation violation from his previous DUI case. Smoot pleaded not guilty and had his trial date set for Feb. 27 after his attorney, Warren Morford, told the court that he didn’t “see us at this point reaching (an agreement)” with the prosecution.