LISBON — An East Liverpool man with several charges including some for his involvement in the Operation Big Oak indictment was sentenced to eight months in prison during a hearing last week in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court.

Donald J. Crumbley Jr., 35, Riverview Street, had pleaded guilty in March to illegal processing of drug documents and receiving stolen property.

Assistant County Prosecutor Tammie Riley Jones said Crumbley had tried on Sept. 4, 2015, to fill a prescription for percocet at the Herche-Bloor Pharmacy, but the prescription form appeared suspicious to those working at the East Liverpool pharmacy. When they contacted the office of Dr. Hira Rohela it was found Crumbley had not been prescribed the mediation and the blank prescription form was stolen.

Crumbley also had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of the Big Oak sting: aggravated trafficking in drugs and trafficking in cocaine. On May 23, 2017, Crumbley had sold 2.72 grams of carfentanil and .86 grams of cocaine.

Crumbley’s defense attorney, Paul Conn, indicated Crumbley has a long-term substance abuse problem, which started when he was prescribed medication for a health problem, and was addicted when the prescription ran out.

“Granted he has accumulated some additional charges,” Conn said, “but that’s what drug addicts do over and over and over again. They do things to get drugs over and over and over again.”

Conn had asked Judge C. Ashley Pike to consider sending Crumbley to the Eastern Ohio Corrections Center in an attempt to break the cycle, but Pike said he believed a period of incarceration was needed and sentenced Crumbley to eight months on all the charges.

Crumbley currently has another charge of possession of drugs pending for allegedly having heroin on Feb. 25, 2018.

In another Operation Big Oak case, Mason Jones, Ohio Avenue, East Liverpool, who had 63 counts, including 56 aggravated possession of drugs charges, was granted intervention in lieu of conviction.

Jones had fentanyl and cocaine in March, April and May of 2017, garnering all the counts over a two-month period, but has no prior offenses. Prosecutor Dustin Roth of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office pointed out Jones is clearly a user who can benefit from treatment. Pike placed Jones on a four-year intensive supervision intervention program.

In still another Operation Big Oak case, Thomas Pease, 61, Densmore Avenue, East Liverpool, pleaded guilty to permitting drug abuse. He was eligible for intervention in lieu of conviction and was placed on a four-year intervention plan.

On March 12, 2017, Peace used his vehicle, a 2008 Chevy Impala, to purchase drugs for Brandy Cotrill.