Guilty pleas heard in Beckley - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

A series of plea hearings were held in Beckley circuit court on Wednesday, Dec. 12 in front of Judge Robert Burnside.

There were five men on the docket, but only three actually made their pleas.  Those were Michael Napper, Jason Lytton and Richard Tanner.

Michael Napper pleaded guilty to charges of forgery, first degree robbery and malicious assault. The first two charges stem from a pair of crimes over the summer in 2011.  The first was a stolen credit card that he later used in a store.  The second involved a robbery on the streets of Beckley.  He stole a credit card from that man as well.  Prosecutors tell 59News that he later used that card to buy gift cards and traded them for crack cocaine. 

The malicious assault charge happened while Napper was in the Southern Regional Jail after his parole was revoked.  He apparently had violated a rule in the jail and when guards responded, Napper attacked them, sending one to the hospital.

Napper will spend up to 10 years in jail on three sentences that run at the same time.

James Lytton pleaded guilty to charges of breaking and entering as well as conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Those charges stem from a break in at the Crab Orchard Pharmacy in March 2011.  Lytton admitted to the break in where he stole oxycodone.  He then attempted to sell the pills, leading to the second charge.

Lytton will be sentenced on Feb. 15, 2013.

Richard Tanner pleaded guilty to third offence driving under the influence.  He will get 18 months on home confinement.