CROOKS

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — A Clarington man who was shot while burglarizing a Shadyside residence received the maximum sentence Monday in Belmont County Common Pleas Court.

Lucas McCland Crooks, 28, of 125 Gardners Run Road will serve eight years for burglary, a second-degree felony occurring Nov. 8. He was given credit for 132 days served.

Charges stem from an incident in which Crooks attempted a home invasion of a Pipe Creek Road residence, allegedly accompanied by Kenneth Hall, 28. The family was in the residence at the time and the homeowner was armed, while Crooks and his accomplice had also brought a weapon.

Both co-defendants fled the scene, suffering from gunshot wounds.

Belmont County Public Defender Frank Pierce asked Judge John Vavra to consider the gunshot injuries Crooks suffered in the course of the crime. Crooks also claimed he was unarmed.

“He came within millimeters of losing his life, the way that the gunshot entered his neck, so in a sense he’s been prepunished by that,” Pierce said.

Crooks apologized for his crime.

Vavra noted that a young child was in a car with Crooks during the course of the crime, while other children were inside the residence. He also pointed out Crooks’ criminal history, including another burglary, a prior failure of drug court and a pattern of substance abuse.

“You violated the sanctity of the home of the victims — while young children were present, both in the car that brought you there and in the residence that you broke into with the other fellow,” Vavra said.

Vavra added that the only regret Crooks appears to have shown is for his own injuries.

“I think you understand what you did, and how incredibly dangerous and stupid it was,” Vavra said. “You have to pay the price for that, and others have to learn that you simply do not break into someone else’s house. If there’s ever a poster child for a lesson to be learned from that, it is you. You’re the one that broke in. You’re the one that got shot.”

Crooks will be eligible for early release in five years.

Hall, currently incarcerated, is also charged with burglary but has not yet been arraigned.

In other matters before Vavra on Monday:

∫ Josiah Rashaun Burress, 21, of 603 Jefferson St., Martins Ferry, saw his probation revoked after admitting to drug-related violations. His total remaining sentence of 300 days was imposed. He was originally convicted of trafficking in drugs on Dec. 7, 2015, and attempted burglary, occurring Oct. 5, 2014, both fifth-degree felonies.

∫ Chelsie Rae Husvar, 26, incarcerated, was removed from the Awakenings program and sentenced for consuming alcohol. She was sentenced to three years of community controls. She will serve six months in jail with credit for 77 days served, and six months at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center. A violation could mean nine months in prison.

Husvar was originally charged with tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony occurring Oct. 26. Vavra pointed out Husvar’s prior record, including attempted forgery, operating a vehicle under the influence and theft, as well as a pattern of drug and alcohol abuse.

∫ Luke Aaron Kovalyk, 28, of 4436 Lincoln Ave., Shadyside, was sentenced for possession of heroin, a fifth-degree felony occurring Nov. 8. He was given two years of community controls and will serve six months jail with credit for 19 days, and six months at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center. A violation will mean one year in prison. His driver’s license also was suspended for two years.

Vavra referred to Kovalyk’s prior record, including possession of drugs, driving under suspension, as well as possession of drug paraphernalia and a positive drug screening while on bond.

“There is a pattern of drug abuse. You do not or cannot control it and have failed to seek treatment in the past,” Vavra said.

∫ Andrea M. Shamhart, 23, incarcerated, saw a sanctions hearing set for July 10, after she admitting violating her community control sanctions by using drugs. She was originally convicted of burglary, occurring Aug. 28, 2015, and tampering with evidence, occurring Jan. 26, 2016, both third-degree felonies.

∫ Tina M. Whittaker, 47, of 1245 Ridge Ave., Steubenville, was arraigned and pleaded innocent to illegal conveyance of prohibited items onto a government facility while under detention, a third-degree felony allegedly occurring Feb. 1. She faces a maximum sentence of three years.

Whittaker’s pretrial hearing and plea agreement deadline were set for July 10, with trial on July 27. A recognizance bond was set.

∫ Danielle Laurice Webb, 33, incarcerated, was sentenced for conspiracy to convey substances onto a government facility, a fourth-degree felony occurring Aug. 1, 2015. She will serve 18 months. Vavra referred to her prior record, including possession and trafficking in drugs.

“Your conduct in getting drugs into the prison, or helping to accomplish that, placed the corrections officers and other inmates at risk,” Vavra said.