LISBON — An East Palestine man was sentenced to three years in prison for a string of break-ins in the spring.

Richard P. Smith, 30, last known address Lyons Avenue, East Palestine, appeared in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court on Thursday for sentencing, where he told Judge Scott Washam he breaks into places in order to support his drug habit.

“I like getting high,” Smith said. “I will admit that in open court.”

Smith said he has two children and he knows he needs to change his lifestyle and battle his drug addictions for them. Without counseling and a chance to change it, Smith said, he can’t guarantee he will not do this again.

In his past in West Virginia, Smith said he has been addicted to opioids and now he has become addicted to crack cocaine.

“I just ask for that chance to be a better man so I can be a better father,” Smith said.

Washam chose to go with the prosecutor’s recommendation of three years, instead of the Eastern Ohio Correctional Center which was where Smith’s defense attorney, Jennifer Gorby, asked Washam to consider.

Assistant County Prosecutor Ryan Weikart pointed out the charges were from two cases, but all of the crimes were happening at about the same time.

In August, Smith pleaded guilty to breaking and entering for trespassing in an unoccupied office trailer at XL Sand and Gravel in Negley to commit a theft on April 4.

In July, he pleaded guilty to five counts of breaking and entering as well as one count each of burglary, attempted breaking and entering and tampering with evidence.

On March 29, Smith broke into the house of Eric and Lisa Pence, East High Street, East Palestine, while they were sleeping inside and stole a wallet and purse. Then on April 3, Smith broke into Rockenberger’s Auto Parts, East Martin Street, East Palestine, by pushing an air conditioning unit out of the window to gain access.

While inside, he reportedly took about $90 and a Stihl chain saw. Additionally on April 3, Smith attempted to break into Cozza’s Pizza, Walnut Street, East Palestine, by kicking in the door, when he set off the alarm.

Then on April 6, Smith broke into three East Palestine garages — one at a West North Avenue home where he stole two chain saws and two at Lyons Avenue homes where he stole a Husky air compressor from one and gas cans, a jar of change and a chain saw from another.

Knowing police were investigating the recent break-ins after they spoke with him, on April 7, Smith concealed the air compressor and two of the chain saws to make them unavailable as evidence.

On May 31, he entered another garage on Hadley Road, East Palestine and stole a Stihl weed trimmer.