The Mountain Eagle
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Seven men, two women sentenced after pleading guilty




Seven men and two women entered guilty pleas in Letcher Circuit Court and were sentenced by Circuit Judge Sam Wright.

Heather R. Hall, 31, of Seco, pleaded guilty to several drug charges and was placed on supervised probation for five years.

Hall entered one guilty plea pertaining to two counts of complicity to first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance. The crime happened on November 2, 2008. She must pay a $1,000 fine and $790 in restitution to the Letcher County Clerk’s Office for Kentucky State Police Drug Enforcement Special Investigations (DESI) East.

Hall also pleaded guilty to two counts of complicity firstdegree trafficking in a controlled substance, complicity to seconddegree trafficking in a controlled substance and complicity to thirddegree trafficking in a controlled substance. These crimes occurred November 13, 2008. She must pay a fine of $2,500, pay $350 in restitution for KSP DESI East and forfeit $22,880 to the Commonwealth of Kentucky with 15 percent going towards the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and 85 percent to the arresting agencies.

Hall pleaded guilty to complicity to first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance on December 30, 2008 and is ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and $475 in restitution to DESI East.

Louis Christopher Hampton, 36, of 77 Pistol City, was sentenced to a maximum term of 12 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to flagrant non support for owing more than $1,000 in child support and to being a persistent felony offender.

Hampton also pleaded guilty to second-degree escape. In a third case, Hampton pleaded guilty to convicted felon in possession of a firearm and to being a persistent felony offender. Hampton also pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary, possession of burglary tools, third-degree criminal mischief and carrying a concealed deadly weapon.

Fines from the four cases total $4,000.

James Michael Cornett, 37, of Highway 221, Laurel, was sentenced to two years in prison after he pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle while his operator’s license was suspended because of a prior conviction of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It was Cornett’s third offense within a five-year period. He also pleaded guilty to no liability insurance and first-degree wanton endangerment. He will receive 84 days jail credit for time served prior to sentencing.

Angel L. Coomer, 49, of 223 Harrison Branch, Isom, pleaded guilty to obstructing a highway, second-degree cruelty to animals and second-degree wanton endangerment.

Coomer owned a poorly fed horse which she repeatedly allowed to wander onto KY 7, causing people in oncoming vehicles to be in great danger of colliding with the horse and being seriously injured or killed.

Coomer was placed on unsupervised probation for two years and must pay $3,714.69 in restitution to the Letcher Clerk’s Office for the Letcher Fiscal Court for feeding the horses from November 26, 2010 through March 23, 2011.

Joshua Lee Pike, 29, of 49 Escape Drive, Whitesburg, was sentenced to a maximum term of 10 years, which will be split with Pike serving two years and the remaining eight years probated five years. Pike pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree promoting contraband, possession of drug paraphernalia and first-degree persistent felony offender. The crimes were committed on September 16, 2007.

Toby Lee Newsome, 33, of 9770 US Highway 23, Pikeville, pleaded guilty to speeding, firstdegree fleeing/evading police, two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license and expired registration plates. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment. Newsome will receive 29 days jail credit for time served prior to sentencing.

Tony D. Johnson Jr., 28, of 16 Quillen’s Fork, pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary, complicity to theft (more than $500), complicity to first-degree criminal mischief, and second-degree persistent felony offender. Johnson was sentenced to a maximum term of five years imprisonment. He was ordered to pay $610 in restitution to Jacob Johnson of Neon.

David Wayne Morris, 53, of 309 Midland Drive, Isom, pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault and second degree wanton endangerment.

Morris, 52 shot Barney Stagner, of Cinnamon Drive on Smoot Creek, twice in his abdomen on May 3, 2010. He was placed on supervised probation for two years and cannot have any contact with Stagner or members of his household. As part of the order of probation, a $10,000 peace bond was executed.

Christopher B. Stanley, 19, of Neon, was placed on two years supervised probation after he pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property (less than $500). Stanley must stay away from Sunset Tanning and Gifts, The Family Dollar Store and Dollar General Store in Jenkins.

Stanley must pay $3,194.67 in restitution to Sunset Tanning, $259.99 to Tony W. Hall and $12 to Family Dollar. He must also remain gainfully employed, enroll as a full-time student or perform 40 hours of community service each week.



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