WILLIAMSON – Sentences of one to five years in a state correctional facility were meted out to two Wharncliffe residents on drug charges Monday in Mingo County Circuit Court.

Chief Judge Michael Thornsbury imposed the sentences on Kim Johnson, 34, and Bill Lockard, 37, both of whom had entered pleas of guilty Nov. 10 to conspiracy to deliver a Schedule II substance (Morphine), as charged in their September 2008 indictments.

Thornsbury also imposed a fine of $1,000 each for the defendants, who were remanded to Southwestern Regional Jail to await assignment to a correctional facility. In return for their pleas, the prosecution dismissed two other charges against Johnson and a second charge against Lockard.

Johnson was represented by Attorney Stacey M. Bowens and Lockard was represented by Attorney Kathryn Cisco-Sturgell.

Mingo County Prose-cuting Attorney C. Michael Sparks appeared in both proceedings on behalf of the state. At the time the two defendants entered their pleas in November, Sparks commented that he finds it troubling that morphine is being prescribed on a more frequent basis.

“There needs to be more scrutiny by physicians before prescribing highly-addictive opiates like morphine, oxycodone and hydrocodone,” said Sparks.

Trooper B.R. Moore of the West Virginia State Police was the primary investigating officer in both cases.