Cases involving drug activity, forgery and probation violations occupied the docket this week in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

Melody Robinson, 29, of Greenup, Ky., pleaded guilty to three counts of trafficking in crack cocaine, one count of trafficking in powder cocaine and one count of possession of criminal tools.

Robinson will spend a maximum of four years in prison but may be eligible for judicial release after six months with good behavior and if she is accepted into a community based correctional facility.

Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Richard Walton further ordered Robinson to get treatment for her substance abuse problem and surrender her driver’s license for one year.

Robinson told the court she was sorry for what she had done and wanted to turn her life around.

“I’m grateful for the plea I got today,” she said, crying. “I’m sorry for the crimes I’ve committed. I was hooked on prescription painkillers and if not for that I wouldn’t have done those things. I am going to change. I’m grateful I’ve got another chance.”

Walton also ordered Robinson to pay $12,500 in fines.

A Pedro woman will stand trial Dec. 21 on charges she violated the terms of her community controlled sanctions. Sheryl Logsdon, 35, of 14565 State Route 93, is serving three years probation stemming from a December 2003 conviction on two counts of forgery.

Assistant Lawrence County Prosecutor Charles Cooper said Logsdon pleaded guilty Sept, 12 in Ironton Municipal Court to a theft charge.

As part of her probation, Logsdon agreed to refrain from criminal activity.

A South Point woman was arraigned Wednesday on a single count of extortion.

Pamela Bartrum, 39, of 210 Michaels St., is accused of trying to get $3,000 from a man with whom she was once romantically involved by taunting him with a videotape of the two of them having sex.

Assistant Lawrence County Prosecutor Mack Anderson said the videotape was made several years ago while the two were romantically involved.

An Altavista, Va., man will go to prison for six months after he pleaded guilty to violating the terms of his probation.

Joseph McCourt, 28, admitted that he did not successfully complete a program at the STAR Criminal Justice Center as he had agreed to do when he pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking in drugs.

An Ironton man pleaded guilty on a bill of information Wednesday to one count of forgery.

Scott E. Fisher, 34, of 1010 S. Third St., was accused of illegally cashing a check for $773.15.

By signing the bill of information he admits the charge and avoids his case going to the grand jury and avoids a trial as well.

Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Frank McCown sentenced Fisher to four years community controlled sanctions under intensive supervised probation and ordered him to successfully complete a rehabilitation program at STAR.

“I just know that in the past I’ve had trouble but I’m doing good now,” Fisher told McCown. “I’m going to take care of all this and go to STAR.”