D.A. obtains 21 felony convictions

District Attorney John M. “Mack” Lancaster’s office obtained 21 felony convictions Aug. 2 and 7 in court in Richland Parish.
Lancaster advised that Assistant District Attorney Doug Wheeler handled the prosecution of the cases and Judge James “Jimbo” Stephens presided over court.
Convictions of note were:
• Eugene Stickle, age 51, of Columbia, pled guilty to manslaughter for the May 2015 death of Brandy Branch. Stickle was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
• Chadwick Cooper of Winnsboro pled guilty to insurance fraud and was sentenced to serve a five-year prison sentence which was suspended. He was order to serve five years on probation and to pay restitution to the insurance company of $15,000. Lancaster said Cooper’s co-defendants, Darren Payne and Mareece Payne of Houston, Texas, were previously convicted and ordered to each pay $15,000 in restitution to the insurance company. A total of $45,000 was ordered to be paid to the insurance company.
• Wendell Wilmore of Rayville pled guilty to carnal knowledge of a juvenile and was sentenced to ten years in prison.
• Robert Kelly of Rayville pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
• Richard Rockhill of Rayville pled guilty to simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling and ordered to serve seven years in prison.
• Amy Jarvis of Start pled guilty to indecent behavior with a juvenile and was sentenced to three years in prison.
• James R. Tarver Jr. pled guilty to possession of Schedule II and Dchedule IV substances and was sentenced to five years in prison.