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Propensity for theft results in prison for ELO man

LISBON — An East Liverpool man with a propensity for snatching things that do not belong to him was sentenced to 18 months in prison for three counts of theft on Thursday by Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam.

Brian K. Miller, 39, Sugar Street, East Liverpool, told Washam he holds down jobs and tries to provide for his family, but then something happens where his children need something he cannot afford and he returns to his past criminal activity.

Miller’s defense attorney, Christopher Weeda, said Miller may need help with the urge he has to take things, noting “he knows what he is doing is wrong.”

“We don’t want to just punish him,” Weeda suggested, “but we want to prevent him from doing that in the future.”

Washam agreed Miller has a long record, but questioned why if Miller knows he needs this help he has not sought it before. Washam said he knows he has sentenced Miller previously for at least one other instance of theft.

Chief Assistant County Prosecutor John Gamble said Miller’s criminal record goes back to 2008, when Judge David Tobin sentenced Miller to three years for a robbery offense.

Assistant County Prosecutor Tammy Riley Jones said on June 16, 2018, Miller “snatched” the purse of Traci Lowe and took the contents, including cash and a credit card belonging to James Lowe. This offense occurred while Miller was already facing another theft charge. The two cases had been scheduled to be sentenced together.

In that case on May 7, Miller grabbed out of a shopping cart the purse containing case belonging to Vicky Blankenship, who appeared in court on Thursday. Gamble said Blankenship did not wish to make a statement, but did want a chance to see Miller so she would know what he looks like in the future.

djohnson@mojonews.com

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