East Palestine man sentenced for murder plot

An East Palestine man has been sentenced to three years in prison after authorities say he plotted to have two people murdered.

Thursday, April 23rd 2020, 7:47 AM EDT

Updated:

Thursday, April 23rd 2020, 7:48 AM EDT

By Mike Gauntner

LISBON, Ohio - An East Palestine man has been sentenced to three years in prison after authorities say he plotted to have two people murdered.

The sentence was handed down Wednesday in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court to 53-year-old Ronald Barson, who pleaded guilty earlier to one count of conspiracy to commit murder.

In addition, Barson was ordered to register as a violent offender.

Police say Barson had put together a plan to murder two people in the village sometime between April 1 and April 19 of last year.

When East Palestine Police and members of the Columbiana County Drug Task Force searched Barson's home at 1190 Bacon Avenue at the time, they found several firearms, ammunition, and other items described by police as “potential weapons.”

Barson could have been sentenced to 16 years in prison.

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