Not guilty pleas made in arson case

Oct. 22--A man accused of setting fire to his car to collect insurance money answered charges Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

Keith Adkins, 38, of Ironton, was arraigned on a third-degree count of arson and a fourth-degree count of insurance fraud, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Judge D. Scott Bowling continued a $25,000 surety bond from a lower court and added a $25,000 own-recognizance bond. A pretrial was set for Nov. 10.

Adkins was arrested by the Ironton Police Department earlier this month. According to detectives, Adkins filed a report on Sept. 25 that his 2007 Chrysler 300 had been stolen. The following day a car fire was reported near Front Street beyond the floodwall.

Also arrested in connection with the incident was Gary Hay. He has yet to be arraigned.

In other cases:

-- Ashley Murphy, 33, of 82 Township Road 1088, Proctorville admitted community control sanctions violations and was sentenced to 15 months in prison with a judicial release to STAR.

-- Jacques Wooten, 34, of 1173 County Road 1 Lot 47, South Point, and Charlie Adkins, 35 of 1020 Oak St. Apt. 2, Kenova, West Virginia, were each sentenced to four years CCS under intensive supervised probation, 200 hours community service and $7,911 joint restitution to Norfolk Southern.

Both men previously pleaded guilty to fourth-degree counts of vandalism of a railroad crossing and misdemeanor counts of theft and criminal trespassing.

-- Zachary Morrison, 22, of 1306 S. Fourth St., Ironton, was sentenced to four years CCS/ISP, STAR, 200 hours community service and $381 restitution.

He previously pleaded guilty to a third-degree count of theft of a firearm.

-- Brad Jenkins, 25, of 415 Neal Ave. Apt. A, Ironton, admitted CCS violations. Bowling sentenced the man to four months in prison.

-- Scott Christian, 36, of 662 State Route 650, Ironton, pleaded guilty to counts of third-degree tampering with evidence, fifth-degree theft and misdemeanor misuse of a credit card.

Bowling sentenced the man to three years in prison and $55 restitution.

-- Charles McKenzie, 51, of 308 Ridgeway St., Coal Grove, was arraigned on a bill of information of third-degree DUI, to which he pleaded not guilty. Bowling set bond at $20,000 cash or surety plus $20,000 OR. A pretrial was set for Nov. 4.

-- Neesa Fannin, 25, of 2000 Argillite Road, Flatwoods, Kentucky, was arraigned on a third-degree tampering with evidence, to which she pleaded not guilty. Bowling set bond at $10,000 OR and a pretrial was set for Nov. 4.

-- William Webb II, 29, of 153 Township Road 362, South Point, pleaded guilty to fifth-degree counts of receiving stolen property and theft. Sentencing was set for Jan. 13.

-- Albert Rucker, 24, of 120 Freeman Court Apt. A, South Point, was arraigned on a bill of information of four fourth-degree counts of theft, to which he pleaded not guilty. Bond was set at $10,000 OR and a pretrial was set for Nov. 4.

-- Jaymond Estes, 22, of Adams Avenue, Huntington, pleaded guilty to fifth-degree counts of identity fraud and forgery. Judge Charles Cooper ordered a pre-sentence investigation and set sentencing for Nov. 4.

-- Claudette Gibson, of 49 Township Road 1013, South Point, pleaded guilty to two third-degree counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs. Cooper set sentencing for Nov. 4.

-- Wilma McClain, 60, of 107 Roberts St., South Point, admitted CCS violations. Sentencing was set for Dec. 23.

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