Matthew Ryan Nicholas, 28, was sentenced to not less than one year in prison by Judge David W. Nibert for crimes he committed in March 2011. The charges are grand larceny and burglary. The judge denied a request for probation.
"I do not want to set you up for failure," said Nibert, who acknowledged Nicholas' lack of a previous record and a report that said he was of high intelligence and traits to succeed in life.
He then placed him on home confinement at a family residence in Ritchie County, reminding him the sentence is still looming if he fails to meet the court's condition.
Nicholas told the court he was dedicated to turning his life around.
Judge Nibert spent considerable time reviewing the man's drug abuse.
Nicholas was ordered to seek treatment for an anxiety disorder and his drug abuse problem, in addition to entering DUI classes and pay court costs.
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