23-year-old Lucian Lambes was sentenced Friday to 19 years in prison for his role in a robbery-turned-shooting last year in Oxford Township. (Stacey Carmany, Tusco TV) 

NEW PHILADELPHIA (Tusco TV) - The 23-year-old Newcomerstown man found guilty for his role in a robbery turned car chase and shooting last year in Oxford Township will be spending a minimum of 12 years in prison for his role in that incident.

Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court Judge Edward O’Farrell on Friday sentenced Lucian Lambes to 19 years in prison on counts of attempted murder, aggravated robbery, and felonious assault for the December 5th incident that resulted in a Newcomerstown teen losing the tip of his finger. 

Assistant Prosecutor Mike Ernest asked the judge to impose a 20-year sentence because his past drug use and criminal record indicate he’s likely to commit another crime. 

"There’s improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, aggravated possession of drugs as well as various other lower-level criminal offenses that he has had as well," he said.

Ernest said there’s also the impact the crime had on the teenage victim who had to quit playing basketball because of his injury. 

"I think that is a factor. That is an opportunity that comes up once in a lifetime for a young man to participate in those types of events, and that came to an end at no fault of his own," he said.

Attorney Anthony Koukoutas argued for a sentence comparable to the 11-year-prison term O’Farrell imposed against Lambes’ co-defendant Ian Cultrona. He attributed his client’s involvement to his addiction.

"He is a meth head. He was using meth on a daily basis. He was using other drugs as well. I think that the drugs did play a part in whatever decision he made to get involved in this," he said.

O’Farrell pointed out that Cultrona’s sentence was for the robbery and felonious assault counts only because the jury was deadlocked on the attempted murder charges.

"He was not acquitted on those counts, and the state has communicated to me that they’re not going to retry Mr. Cultrona on those attempted murder counts, but I understand your point," he said. 

The 19-year sentence the judge imposed includes six years for the attempted murder charges, eight years for the aggravated robbery, and a mandatory five-year prison term for the gun specifications attached to those charges. The judge said Lambes will have to serve 12 years of that sentence minus his 221 days of local jail time credit before he’s eligible for release. The sentence also includes a mandatory five years of post-release control.

TUSCO TV