Two Clinton County men who stood trial on multiple charges were acquitted on the most major counts against them and found guilty on lesser charges by a Clinton Circuit Court jury.

Joseph P. Coop and Randall G. Hicks, who had been indicted on multiple charges, both felony and misdemeanor this past spring, took their cases before a jury during a two-day trial held last Monday and Tuesday, October 5 and 6.

A jury was selected on Monday with the majority of testimony and deliberations lasting long into the early evening hours last Tuesday.

Each defendant, who if found guilty on some of the felony counts could have faced several years imprisonment, were each acquitted on some charges with the jury recommending a three-year sentence on the charge in which the jury found them guilty.

In the case of Commonwealth vs. Joseph Coop, the order signed Thursday, October 8 said pursuant to a jury trial held…the following charges are hereby dismissed: possession of drug paraphernalia (directed verdict), cultivation of marijuana more than five plants (jury acquittal) and persistent felony offender second degree (two counts).

The jury did find Coop guilty of possession of a controlled substance first degree, which carried a one to three year sentence with the jury recommending a three year sentence.

In the case against Hicks, with the order also entered on October 8, the court ruled pursuant to a jury trial…the following charges are dismissed: operating on a suspended/revoked license (by motion of the Commonwealth); possession of drug paraphernalia (directed verdict); cultivation of marijuana five or more plants (jury acquittal); and persistent felony offender second degree (two counts).

Hicks was also found guilty of possession of a controlled substance first degree.

On May 14 of this year, both defendants had been indicted by a Clinton County Grand Jury on multiple counts involving alleged offenses that had been committed on or about April 13 of this year.

Coop had originally been charged by the grand jury with tampering with a prisoner monitoring device; possession of drug paraphernalia (misdemeanor); possession of a handgun by a convicted felon; marijuana cultivation; manufacturing methamphetamine; escape second degree and five counts of persistent felony offender second degree.

Hicks was indicted at the same time for possession of drug paraphernalia (misdemeanor); possession of a handgun by a convicted felon; manufacturing methamphetamine; marijuana cultivation and a misdemeanor charge of driving on a suspended or revoked operator’s license.

The cases were prosecuted by Commonwealth’s Attorney Jesse Stockton’s office and both defendants were represented at trial by local attorneys David Cross and Terran Cross-Helm.