BY LAUREN RIGGS

Staff Writer

Three defendants pleaded guilty in Wetzel County Circuit Court May 15 to oxycodone-related offenses.

Justin Kyle Smith, 24, of 524 Martin Avenue, New Martinsville, pleaded guilty to delivery of oxycodone. For this offense, Smith has been sentenced to one to 15 years in the West Virginia Penitentiary for Men. However, the execution of this sentence was suspended and Smith will instead serve two years of probation under the supervision of Chief Probation Officer John D. Lantz.

Furthermore, Smith is banned from the New Martinsville Villas Apartment Complex and must pay $115.95 to the Wetzel County Circuit Clerk’s Office for transmittal to the West Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations.

Smith admitted to the offense, stating that on the date of August 20, 2012, he sold two 30 milligram oxycodone pills to a person who he did not know what a confidential informant.

In another matter, Paul James Ellenwood, 19, of 187 North State Route 2, Apt. D104, New Martinsville, entered a guilty plea to conspiracy of oxycodone. For this offense, Ellenwood was sentenced to the West Virginia Penitentiary for Men for one to five years. However, the execution of this sentence was suspended and Ellenwood will instead serve two years of probation under the supervision of Chief Probation Officer John D. Lantz.

Ellenwood is also banned from the New Martinsville Villas Complex, and will pay $50.95 to the West Virginia BCI fund.

From the September 2012 grand jury, Ellenwood received a two-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to deliver oxycodone, as well as delivery of oxycodone. These offenses allege that on or about June 18, Ellenwood conspired with another to deliver oxycodone.

Virginia May Hornbeck, 39, of 187 North State Route 2, Apt. D101, New Martinsville, pleaded guilty to delivery of oxycodone. She was sentenced to one to 15 years in the West Virginia Penitentiary for Women.

The execution of this sentence was suspended, and Hornbeck will instead serve two years of probation under the supervision of Lantz. Hornbeck admitted to the offense, stating that on the date written in the indictment, March 21, 2012, she retrieved oxycodone and brought it back to a confidential informant. She also agreed that she did this for her husband, who is now incarcerated for his drug dealings.

Hornbeck is also banned from the New Martinsville Villas Complex and is to pay $158.83 to the Wetzel County Circuit Clerk’s Office for transmittal to the West Virginia State Police BCI.

Also noteworthy, Hornbeck is requesting drug counseling as condition of her sentence; she has been clean for seven months. Judge Karl congratulated her on her sobriety but warned her, “I hope I don’t see you back here.”

Hornbeck received a six-count indictment from the grand jury charging her with three counts each of conspiracy to deliver and delivery of oxycodone.

The sets of offenses are to have occurred in 2012 on or about March 21, March 28, and May 23.