New Philadelphia, Ohio - One of the accused gunmen in an attempted robbery-turned-shooting last year in Oxford Township has been sentenced to a six-month jail term for two unrelated cases.
Twenty-two-year-old Lucian A. Lambes pled no contest Friday to a felony drug charge from June of last year. Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court Judge Edward O'Farrell found him guilty and imposed the six-month jail sentence with 22 days credit granted for time previously served.
The judge also issued a second six-month sentence for one count of improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle and two counts of felony drug possession for another incident last April. He explained that these two sentences will run concurrently, essentially negating the days credited in the other case.
Lambes originally pled not guilty to the charges from April during his July 27th arraignment in Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court. He was released on his own recognizance under pre-trial supervision. Lambes changed his plea to no contest October 30th, and the judge continued his bail terms pending his sentencing on December 11th.
Lambes was arrested four days before that hearing in connection with a December 5th robbery and shooting on Liberty Road. He and Douglas Casteel are accused of opening fire on an SUV carrying three people and injuring a 17-year-old. Both are being held without bond at the Tuscarawas County Jail, charged with conspiracy and multiple counts of attempted murder, felonious assault and aggravated robbery with firearm specifications.
Samantha Owen and Ian Cultrona were also arrested during the robbery investigation. They previously pled not guilty to the same charges and were released on their own recognizance. They’re accused of colluding with Lambes and Casteel to set up the robbery.
During Friday’s hearing, Lambes also waived his right to a speedy trial in the robbery case, extending the March 10th deadline for the case to go to trial. O’Farrell says the trial will likely be scheduled for the end of April or early May.
STACEY CARMANY, TUSCO TV