MOUNT VERNON — On Friday, Knox County Common Pleas Court Judge Otho Eyster sentenced four men and one woman for various felony crimes, according to Prosecutor John Thatcher. One man was also sentenced on May 13 on the charges of rape and gross sexual imposition.
James A. Lyons, 37, Danville, was convicted of two counts of rape. Lyons was sentenced to a nine-year prison term. Lyons’ sentence includes a five-year term of post release control. After release from prison, Lyons will serve additional prison time for any crimes committed during his term of PRC. The court also classified Lyons as a Tier III sex offender who must register his address with authorities every 90 days, for life.
Thatcher said that on several occasions between August 2007 and 2008, Lyons engaged in sexual activity with two girls, ages 10 and 14. Detective Tom Bumpus and Detective Sgt. Roger Brown, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case with the assistance of Knox County Children’s Services.
Josiah E. Thomas, 21, was convicted of aggravated assault for stabbing a 28-year-old male victim in the leg during an argument. Thomas was sentenced to 17 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,916.76 in restitution to the victim. Thatcher said that at about 10 p.m. on Feb. 25, Patrol Officer Jessica Butler, Mount Vernon Police Department, found Thomas outside the victim’s residence hiding behind a parked car. Butler removed a still-opened folding knife from Thomas’ pocket when she arrested him. The victim required nine staples to close the knife wound.
Grant T. Boucher, 31, Mount Vernon, was convicted of two counts of theft and one count of theft by deception. Boucher was sentenced to 11 months in prison. Thatcher said Boucher stole two blank checks, and then cashed one for $800. Deputy Scott Baker and Deputy Kenneth Aurand, KCSO, investigated the case.
David L. Cockrell, 51, Easley, S.C., was convicted of misuse of credit cards for making an unauthorized charge on a 79-year-old woman’s credit card. Thatcher said Cockrell’s girlfriend befriended the woman and Cockrell used the credit card to pay child support he owed in Morrow County.
Cockrell will serve an 11-month prison term if he violates any condition of his three-year term of supervision. He was also ordered to maintain full-time employment. Lt. Jay Sheffer, Fredericktown Police Department, investigated the case.
Mary A. Miller, 35, Baltic, was convicted of extortion for blackmailing a 55-year-old Utica area man out of $40,000 on March 14. Thatcher said Miller told the man she would pay some of the $40,000 to the owner of a privately owned Web site to remove allegations from the Web site that the man had sexually abused children. Miller was sentenced to a three-year term of community control supervision, ordered to serve 60 days in the Knox County Jail and ordered to pay restitution. Detective Light, KCSO, investigated the case.
Also on May 13, Jeffrey N. Wilson, 34, Mount Vernon, was convicted on charges of rape and gross sexual imposition. Wilson was sentenced to a nine-year prison term. Wilson’s sentence includes a five-year term of post release control. After release from prison, Wilson will serve additional prison time for any crimes committed during his term of PRC. The court also classified Wilson as a Tier III sex offender who must register his address with authorities every 90 days, for life.
Thatcher said the victim is a child who was less than 10 years old during the time of the offenses, Jan. 1, 2006, through July 4, 2009. Detective Tom Bumpus, KCSO, investigated the case with the assistance of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Center for Child and Family Advocacy.
