Two charged with theft make court appearance

Published 10:10 am Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Two men who were allegedly caught with truckloads of stolen construction material made initial appearances Tuesday in Ironton Municipal Court.

Judge O. Clark Collins set bond at $15,000 cash or surety for William Eastham, 38, of 717 Buckhorn St., Ironton and ordered him to return to court Thursday for a preliminary hearing. Collins appointed attorney Warren Morford to represent Eastham.

Likewise, his alleged cohort, Kenneth J. Bentley, was given a $15,000 cash or surety bond and ordered to return to court Thursday for a preliminary hearing. Collins appointed attorney Mike Gleichauf to represent Bentley. Both men are charged with two counts of theft and one count of criminal trespass.

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Eastham and Bentley were arrested after someone called the police department late Monday evening and said they thought they witnessed two subjects in a white pickup truck stealing lumber from a construction site on Scott Avenue.

While officers did not find anyone on their first visit, Eastham and Bentley were apprehended shortly afterwards.

During their investigation, officers found other pickup trucks loaded with allegedly stolen construction material at a home in Flatwoods, Ky. Police estimate the recovered items amounted to 150 2X6 wood beams and 30 sheets of OSB board.

The items taken were from two different victims.

Both men remain in the Lawrence County Jail.