The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

March 6, 2009

Amigo man sentenced to prison

By Michelle James

A 51-year-old Amigo man who pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder in January was sentenced to three to 15 years in prison Friday in Raleigh County Circuit Court.

Isaac Preston Reed’s conviction was a result of an Aug. 29, 2006, incident during which he shot Jeffrey Lusk in the jaw.

Lusk spoke during Reed’s sentencing, requesting Burnside sentence Reed to the maximum possible penalty.

“He said he was going to kill me,” Lusk said, adding he remains fearful for his life because Reed has allegedly threatened to shoot him again.

Public defender Joe Noggy said the shooting was fueled by alcohol and told Burnside that Reed had been sober since the incident.

Burnside, however, spoke of the seriousness of Reed’s conviction, explaining there was not much difference between attempted first-degree murder and first-degree murder itself.

“(The only difference is) despite their best efforts, they couldn’t get it (murder) done,” he said.

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Robert Randall Meade II, 29, of Stanaford, was sentenced to one to 10 years for grand larceny.

Meade’s sentence will run consecutively with two one- to 10-year terms he is currently serving for forgery convictions in Raleigh and Summers counties.

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Marcus Tunstalle, 22, of Beckley, will serve three years’ probation after Burnside suspended a one- to 15-year sentence for delivery of a controlled substance and a one- to three-year sentence for attempt to deliver a controlled substance.

In addition to those sentences, which will run concurrently, Burnside also sentenced Tunstalle to a suspended term at the Anthony Correctional Center for youthful offenders.

— E-mail: mjames@register-herald.com

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