LISBON — An East Liverpool man ordered to serve an additional three to four and a half years in prison on top of the four to six years he was already ordered to serve last February filed an appeal Tuesday to challenge the consecutive sentence.

Richard M.J. Tittle, 35, Harvey Avenue, received the consecutive sentence in December for multiple drug counts. Defense attorney Paul Conn filed the appeal in the Seventh District Court of Appeals, citing the consecutive sentence as the sole item of review.

“The court erred in sentencing with consecutive sentences with the prior case,” he wrote.

With the sentence from December tacked on to the one from last February, Tittle will have to serve a minimum of at least seven years altogether.

The sentence in December in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court was for first-degree felony possession of a fentanyl-related compound, fourth-degree felony possession of cocaine (a lesser included charge which was originally a first-degree felony), and fifth-degree felonies of two counts of possession of drugs, along with specifications for forfeiture of money from a drug case.

All of the offenses occurred on July 19, 2024 when he possessed fentanyl in an amount equal or greater than 20 grams, but less than 50 grams, an amount of cocaine equal or greater than 5 grams but less than 10 grams, and possessed alprazolam, and buprenorphine. The amount of money seized for forfeiture was $120.

Charges of first-degree felony trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, first-degree fleony trafficking in cocaine and fifth-degree felony trafficking in drugs were dismissed as part of the pleas deal.

In both cases, there were charges which required indefinite terms, meaning the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections could tack on additional time equal to one-half of the minimum sentence given, meaning the maximum time possible would be 10 and a half years.

The case from February involved charges of first-degree felony possession of cocaine, second-degree felony possession of fentanyl-related compound and two counts fifth-degree felony possession of drugs for possessing cocaine in an amount equal or greater than 27 grams but less than 100 grams, possessing an amount of fentanyl equal or greater than 10 grams but less than 20 grams and possessing tramadol and buprenorphine on Feb. 1, 2023.

He was also given mandatory fines of $10,000 and $7,500 and received credit for 11 days already served in jail.