ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Several pleas were entered and sentences handed down last week in importuning and drug-related cases in Belmont County Common Pleas Court.

Kyle Neilson, 32, of 141 W. Main St., Holloway pleaded guilty to two charges of importuning, a fifth-degree felony. He was accused of improperly touching a juvenile girl in his care. Assistant Prosecutor Chris Gagin said the offenses chiefly occurred at Neilson’s residence in Flushing Township. Belmont County Common Pleas Judge John Vavra set Neilson’s sentencing hearing for Oct. 25. He will be designated a Tier 1 sex offender and required to register with the sheriff’s office in his county of residence every 12 months for 15 years.

Richard Allen Moore, 48, of 621 Washington St., Martins Ferry was sentenced for three counts of trafficking in heroin, fifth-degree felonies that occurred Aug. 20, 2020. Vavra imposed two years of community controls. Moore will serve six months in jail and six months in the Eastern Ohio Correction Center. Intense drug and alcohol treatment was ordered. Moore’s home was forfeited and sold as a result of drug-related activities that occurred there.

Vavra said the reserve sentence for each count is one year, for a maximum of three years if Moore violates the terms of his sentence.

“He allowed his house to be used for some drug offenses,” Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan said, adding that the total sale of the house came to about $25,000.

Some of the proceeds went to Moore’s estranged wife and the rest to the city. Flanagan said there were liens on the property.

Roger Lucas, 27, of 133 Market St., Yorkville was sentenced for two counts of attempted complicity in trafficking in drugs, a fourth-degree felony that occurred Aug. 4, 2020. Vavra took Lucas’ effort at reforming into account and imposed community controls, including 60 days of electronically monitored house arrest. He will be able to work and attend counseling.

A violation of the terms of his sentence could result in three years in prison.

The sentence was fairly lenient “because he got on rehab nearly a year ago and has maintained full-time employment,” Gagin said.

Vavra reviewed Lucas’ prior record, including drug abuse offenses and a prison sentence.

“He does have a troubling substance abuse history, which the court believes contributed to his conduct,” Vavra said. “He has been in counseling for some time, and he has been successful in that so far. … The case is unusual to the extent that you have been able to maintain sobriety for such a period of time and took it upon yourself to attempt to change your life.”

Jennifer Jo Murphy, 48, of 300 N. Front St., Wheeling was sentenced to three years in prison for illegal conveyance of drug abuse instruments into the Belmont County Jail, a third-degree felony that occurred Nov. 15, 2019. She was found guilty in a trial last week. Gagin said her DNA was found on the stamp of a greeting card she was accused of sending into the jail. There was methamphetamine on the card.