A man who was arrested last July on charges of engaging in a multi-state burglary ring received a stiff sentence last Friday from Judge Thomas C. Evans, III, in Jackson County Circuit Court. 

Matthew J. Jones, 30, of Ravenswood was indicted in October on three felony counts of breaking and entering, three felony counts of grand larceny, and six felony counts of conspiracy to commit a felony for allegedly conspiring with Ryan C. Null, 33, of Bidwell, OH, and Jennifer E. Winland, 29, of Sutton during June and July of 2009 to break into the residences of Ronald G. Nohe, Charles Butcher, and Oscar J. Harris to steal numerous items. 

Jones was arrested on unrelated, outstanding warrants last July in Roane County, where he was found to be in possession of a pair of police-issued handcuffs bearing Nohe’s last name on them. 
Roane County Sheriff’s Deputies contacted Lt. A.J. Boggs and Cpl. M.E. Cullen of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department who recognized the name from their investigation of a break-in Nohe’s residence in northern Jackson County. 

Following an interview with Jones, Boggs and Cullen helped execute a search warrant of Null’s Bidwell, OH, home where they recovered over $10,000 worth of property and guns. 

The trio were indicted by the October session of the Grand Jury for their alleged activities in Jackson County.

Jones recently entered a plea with the prosecuting attorney’s office to one felony count of burglary and one felony count of conspiracy.  Jones appeared Friday before Judge Evans for a sentencing hearing.

After hearing from the defense and from victim Ronald Nohe, Evans proceeded to impose maximum sentence allowed – one to 15 years in a state penitentiary for the burglary charge as well as one to five years for the conspiracy charge.  The sentences were ordered to be served consecutively. 

Additionally, Jones was ordered to pay restitution of $2,155 to Nohe, $1,000 to Harris, and $2,950 to Butcher. 

Pursuant to the plea agreement, the remaining counts from the indictment were dismissed. 

Jones’ alleged co-conspirators have yet to enter pleas in the case.  Winland is set to appear before Judge David W. Nibert on Friday, March 5, at 9:00 a.m. for a hearing, while Null is set for a pre-trial hearing on March 8 at 1:00 p.m. with a subsequent trial date of April 16 set in his case. 

Jones was remanded to the WV Division of Corrections for imposition of sentence.  He also faces numerous charges in Mason and Roane Counties.