Faces 3 years in prison

A South Point man, who previously pleaded not guilty to illegal conveyance of prohibited items onto the grounds of a detention facility or institution, a third-degree felony, rejected the state’s final offer for a guilty plea Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Charles Cooper’s courtroom.

Curtis E. Ratcliff, 42, of 77 Township Road 1019, South Point, rejected the state’s final offer of one year in prison.

He is facing a maximum sentence of three years in prison if found guilty at trial.

Cooper set trial for Feb. 26.

In other cases:

• Shane C. Blanton, 33, of 39 Township Road 335, Ironton, or 1115 Latonia St., Ironton, pleaded guilty to improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. Cooper sentenced him to four years community-controlled sanctions (CCS) under intensive supervised probation (ISP) with 17 months reserved and credit for time served, and ordered him to complete STAR. Two weapons were also forfeited in the case.

• Myca M. Followay, 32, of 150 Township Road 111, Ironton, denied CCS violations. Cooper set CCS trial for Feb. 28.

• Cassie N. Huff, 28, of 822 West End Ave., Huntington, West Virginia, pleaded not guilty to aggravated possession of drugs (methamphetamine), a fifth-degree felony. Cooper continued a $1,500 cash or surety bond from lower court and set a $20,000 OR bond. Pretrial was set for Feb. 28.

• Garland Schafer, 64, of 3034 S. Sixth St., Ironton, admitted CCS violations. Cooper extended his CCS by one year.

• Greg Carlton, 32, of 102 Ridgeway St., Coal Grove, pleaded not guilty to domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor. Judge Andy Ballard set bond at $2,500 cash or surety and $10,000 OR. Pretrial was set for Feb. 21.

• Matthew Ellison, 19, of 533 Short White Oak Road, Russell, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to trafficking in drugs (Oxycodone), a second-degree felony, and possession of drugs (Oxycodone), a third-degree felony. Ballard sentenced him to 1 year in prison and ordered him to pay a $5,000 fine.

• Melissa Frederick, 50, of 1325 Prospect Ave., Worthington, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to theft of a motor vehicle, a felony of the fourth-degree. Ballard sentenced her to four years CCS under ISP with 17 months reserved. He also ordered her to complete treatment/counseling and 200 hours community service.

• Heather Hale, 35, of 917 Center St., Apt. A, Ironton, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs (methamphetamine), a fifth-degree felony, and possession of drugs (Clonazepam), a first-degree misdemeanor. Ballard ordered her to complete treatment at Mended Reeds and 200 hours community service.

• Michelle Jenkins (Lewis), 37, of 1124 S. Fourth St., Ironton, pleaded not guilty to three counts of trafficking in drugs (methamphetamine), all third-degree felonies. Ballard set bond at $30,000 cash or surety, $60,000 OR and $60,000 property. Pretrial was set for Feb. 28.

• Erin A. Mullins, 36, of 701 S. High St., Huntington, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs (methamphetamine), a fifth-degree felony. She was eligible for intervention in lieu of conviction, and Ballard ordered her to complete treatment and 200 hours community service.

• Branden L. Sites, 29, of 1947 County Road 415, Pedro, pleaded not guilty to complicity to counterfeit a controlled substance, a fourth-degree felony, and in another case, tampering with evidence and escape, both third-degree felonies. Ballard set bond at $250,000 cash or surety and $500,000 OR. Pretrial was set for Feb. 21.

• Wanda Stapleton, 45, of 2440 S. Sixth St., Ironton, admitted CCS violations. Ballard continued her CCS with 10 months reserved, and ordered her to complete STAR and pay court costs.

• Vanessa Thibodaux, 29, of 106 Private Road 4649, Ironton, pleaded guilty to faiure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony. Ballard set sentencing for March 21.