GALLIPOLIS — A Gallia County man charged with attempting to cause harm to a two separate family or household members last year was recently sentenced to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for felony domestic violence.

Matthew C. Taylor, 27, Bidwell, was sentenced last week to a total of 18 months of imprisonment in two separate common pleas cases.

In Taylor’s first case, a complaint filed on May 8, 2012, with the Gallipolis Municipal Court states that, on May 7, 2012, the female victim reported to the Gallia County Sheriff’s Office that the defendant had “punched her in the face and choked her.” The statement further indicates that there were “strangle marks” on the victim’s neck, her lower lip was lacerated and she had a cut elbow. Her eyes were also slightly bloodshot, according to the statement.

The municipal court case against Taylor, who had previously been convicted of two separate domestic violence cases in the municipal court, was later bound over to the common pleas court of Gallia County and an indictment alleging felony domestic violence was filed on May 24.

According to journal entries filed in this case, Taylor pleaded not guilty to the charge on August 16, 2012, but later entered a guilty plea to felony domestic violence on December 3.

On a motion of the defense, an amended plea was later filed and the defendant pleaded guilty, as pursuant to the new plea agreement, on January 15.

An indictment in Taylor’s second common pleas case was filed on August 15, 2012, alleging that he had caused or attempted to cause harm to a second family or household member on August 8, 2012, having previously been convicted of two domestic violence charges.

Taylor was arrested on a warrant on indictment in this case and pleaded not guilty to this second charge of felony domestic violence on August 16, 2012.

Taylor also subsequently pleaded guilty to this fourth-degree-felony charge of domestic violence on January 15 after an amended guilty plea was filed.

During sentencing on February 4, Taylor was ordered to serve a nine month term in a state prison in his first case and a nine month term for felony domestic violence in this second case, these sentences were ordered to be served consecutively for a period of 18 months.

He was given credit for 36 days served and was ordered to have no contact with the victim in either of his common pleas cases.

Taylor was further ordered to pay the cost of prosecution.