One of four persons from Wellston charged last summer with child neglect recently pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to prison.
Steven Owen Cohran, 32, was formally charged July 24, 2023 in Lincoln County District Court with child neglect.
During a dispositional hearing this week before District Judge John Canavan, Cohran, as the result of a plea bargain, withdrew his previous plea and pleaded guilty.
Cohran and the state waived a presentence investigation. The judge received the waiver and found him guilty as charged.
The judge sentenced him to 15 years in the Department of Corrections with all but the first five years to be suspended. He assessed Cohran a $100 fine, a $100 VCA and court costs and he is to pay 991 fees.
The judge ordered him to perform 100 hours of Community Service, he placed Cohran on supervised probation with DOC and he is to report to the probation office within 10 days of release from custody. He is also to report to the Court Clerk’s Office within 180 days of release.
Assistant District Attorney Kelly Trimble prosecuted the case and Larth Kienzle was Cohran’s defense attorney.
The four persons charged in the case were residing in the same residence with nine children at the time of their arrest.
The nine children reportedly have been placed into custody with the Department of Human Services until a proper home is found.
Others charged in Lincoln County District Court July 24, 2023 with child neglect were Robert Nathaniel Cohran, 34, Vanessa Marie Poore, 33 and Courtney Diana Eaton, 29.
Robert Nathaniel Cohran also faced an additional felony of domestic assault and battery by strangulation.
During her arraignment Nov. 28 before District Judge John Canavan, Eaton pleaded not guilty.
Judge Canavan set her case for the felony disposition docket on May 7, 2024 and scheduled a jury trial for June 17, 2024.
During their arraignments last Dec. 19, Poore and Steven Owen Cohran each pleaded not guilty. Judge Canavan set each of them for the felony disposition docket on Jan. 16.
At the felony disposition docket, Poore changed her plea to guilty and drew a 10year suspended prison sentence.
In January, Robert Cohran, appearing before Associate District Judge Sheila Kirk during a felony disposition docket, entered guilty pleas to all three counts as the result of a plea bargain. The court received the pleas and found him guilty as charged on all counts.
The judge sentenced him to 20 years in the Department of Corrections on the child neglect charge with all time suspended except the first seven years, fined him $100, assessed a $50 VCA and court costs.
On the domestic assault and battery by strangulation count filed on July 24, he was sentenced to three years in DOC, handed a $100 fine and $50 VCA and ordered to pay court costs. Judge Kirk said the sentences are to run concurrent with each other and with the three-year state prison term she handed him on the domestic assault and battery by strangulation filed on Jan. 23, 2023.
Cohran was placed on supervised probation with DOC, ordered to pay 991C fees and he received credit for time served.