GALLIPOLIS — Prison sentences were recently handed down to three men charged in connection with a string of 2012 residential break-ins.

Donald C. Wray, 34, Gallipolis, Matthew J. Gilbert, 24, Bidwell, and Keith A. Skidmore, 20, Bidwell, all recently appeared before Gallia County Common Pleas Judge D. Dean Evans and were sentenced after pleading guilty to eight counts of burglary and one count of breaking and entering.

Eighteen-count indictments were filed against all three men in late June and each suspect subsequently pleaded not guilty to eight counts of burglary, nine counts of theft and one count of breaking and entering.

Wray, Gilbert and Skidmore were identified as suspects in seven burglaries that occurred in April 2012, as well as one burglary that occurred in November 2009.

They were alleged to have stolen multiple firearms and other items from the homes and were also alleged to have illegally entered a barn this April.

The identical indictments filed against the suspects specify that the defendants burglarized a Gallia County residence on April 17 and allegedly stole a 20 gauge New England Pardner shotgun, a .22 caliber Winchester Model 67A rifle, a Stevens .22 caliber auto rife, as well as Percocets from the residence.

The suspects were further charged with entering a residence on Williams Hollow Road between April 13-15, 2012 and allegedly stole a 12 gauge Remington pump shotgun, a 16 gauge bolt action shotgun, a .410 gauge single shot shotgun and a .22 caliber rifle with scope.

A residence on Cargo Road was also burglarized on April 5, and miscellaneous jewelry was taken from that home, according to the charges.

Additionally, the indictment states that the three men entered a residence on Bulaville Pike between November 7 and November 26, 2009, and also burglarized the same residence between April 19-21 of this past year.

A burglary at a Yellowtown Road home on April 4 is also listed in the indictment, as well as burglaries at residences on Ohio 160 and Kerr Road on April 23.

On December 11, Wray appeared before Judge Evans and pleaded guilty to all eight counts of burglary as specified in the indictment, as well as the breaking and entering charge.

The nine counts of theft were dismissed by the state in accordance with the plea agreement.

On December 20, Wray was sentenced to three years of incarceration for the first charge of burglary and 12 months of imprisonment for each of the remaining seven counts of burglary, as well as 12 months for the charge of breaking and entering.

All sentences were ordered to be served consecutively for a total of 11 years of imprisonment.

Wray was given credit for a total of 112 days served.

Gilbert was present in court on December 27 and was sentenced to two years as to count one of the indictment and 12 months of incarceration for each additional charge of burglary and the charge of breaking and entering.

These sentences were ordered to be served consecutively.

Gilbert also pleaded guilty to a count of burglary in a 2011 common pleas case in which he was charged with breaking into a Brick School Road home on September 27, 2011.

A one-year sentence was handed down in relation to this case and was ordered to be served consecutively with the sentence in his 2012 case for a total of 11 years of incarceration in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

Gilbert was given credit for time served.

Similarly, Skidmore pleaded guilty to the eight counts of burglary and one count of breaking and entering on December 21 and was subsequently sentenced in the common pleas court.

A five-year prison sentence was handed down against Skidmore for the first count of burglary, a 36 month sentence was handed down as to the second charge of burglary. Thirty-month sentences were handed down for the remaining six counts of burglary in addition to an 11 month sentence for the charge of breaking and entering.

The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently for a total of five years.

Skidmore received credit for 91 days served.

All three defendants were ordered to pay one third of the total restitution owed, or $14,352.66 each, to the victims in this case.

Each defendant was also ordered to have no contact with the victims of this case.