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Ahart granted judicial release

Jonathan Ahart awaits the next step after he was granted judicial release Monday. (Photo by Michele Newbanks)

A Davisville, W.Va., man was granted judicial release Monday after spending two years of his four-year sentence in prison.

Jonathan D. Ahart, 42, of 251 Poplar St., pleaded guilty to a bill of information in February 2019 to one count of second-degree felony burglary. In March 2019, he was sentenced to four years in prison.

On Nov. 27, 2018, Ahart was part of a group who stole guns, cash and a cell phone before beating and pistol whipping a then 60-year-old New Matamoras man.

Washington County Assistant Prosecutor Joe Derkin said Monday that in Ahart’s plea agreement, the state would not contest judicial release if Ahart served two years in prison.

Defense Attorney Chandra Ontko said Ahart was placed in treatment before COVID, and he did what he could.

“I just try to take the right steps to put this behind me,” Ahart told Washington County Common Pleas Judge John Halliday.A

A journal entry filed Monday stated Ahart’s sentence be suspended for a period of three years and he be placed on judicial release/community control with conditions. Those conditions include attending and successfully completing the program at the STAR Criminal Justice Center in Franklin Furnace.

Halliday said Ahart’s bed date is June 17 and he will remain in the Washington County Jail pending transport to the STAR facility. The judge said if Ahart violates the conditions of his judicial release, he will serve the remainder of his four year sentence in prison.

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