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Finch Admits Guilt To Battery

By Staff | Jul 23, 2014

Julie Lynn Finch, 37, of 187 North State Route 2 Apt. E-106, New Martinsville, pleaded guilty July 15 to her charge of third-offense domestic battery.

For this offense Finch was sentenced to one to five years in the West Virginia Penitentiary for Women. However, the execution of this sentence was suspended and Finch will instead serve three years of supervised probation.

Haught stated that with respect to Finch’s crime, she battered her husband or boyfriend at the time. Haught stated that Finch has a history of batteries and assault.

Finch admitted to the transgression, stating that she was drinking at the time and slapped her husband.

Finch was previously convicted of domestic battery in the Magistrate Court of Tyler County on or about Sept. 25, 2008. She was also convicted of domestic assault in Wetzel County Magistrate Court on or about April 14, 2010. The most recent charge came from the May 2014 grand jury.

In another matter, Rebecca Darnae Smith, 20, of 309 High Street, Mannington, W.Va., pleaded guilty to counts one and two, forgery and uttering, of the 12-count indictment she was given by the May 2014 grand jury.

Smith was sentenced to one to 10 years in the West Virginia Penitentiary for Women for each of these offense. These sentences were to run concurrently. However, the execution of these sentences was suspended and Smith will instead serve three years of probation, as well as make restitution.

Smith stated that she was working as a secretary at her place of employment and forged the payroll checks to, personally, buy items.

Smith’s 12-count indictment charged her with four counts of forgery, one count of uttering, four counts of conspiracy to commit uttering, one count of conspiracy to commit forgery, one count of obtaining money by false pretenses and one count of fraudulent schemes.

Mikeal Craft, 25, of HC 61 Box 8, Littleton, pleaded guilty to daytime burglary. Craft was originally charged by the May 2014 grand jury with daytime burglary and petit larceny. The charges alleged that on Nov. 30, 2013, Craft unlawfully entered a residence near Wileyville where he took goods having a value of less than $1,000.

During his July 15 plea, Craft stated that he used a crowbar and pried open the door of the victim’s residence. Craft stated that he entered to seek painkillers; however he did not find those.

Craft stated that the victim was a good friend of his at the time. He stated that the victim is a good man and forgives him but wants him to “get clean.”

Craft will return to court Sept. 5, 9 a.m., as a pre-sentencing report is to be filed by Chief Probation Officer John D. Lantz.