By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Donald Ray did not want to drag out his criminal case any longer than necessary. The 26-year-old Galion man had been on community control after pleading guilty to drug possession in April. He returned to Crawford County Common Pleas Court Monday afternoon to address the violations he committed while on community control.
Ray’s supervising officer stated that he had tested positive and admitted to using heroin on Nov. 20, failed to report to his office visits since Sept. 29, and failed to successfully complete his CROSSWAEH program on July 31.
Ray waived his right to counsel and admitted to the violations.
Judge Russell Wiseman ordered Ray to finish the balance of his 12-month prison sentence that had been awaiting him should he have failed on his community control. Ray will be credited for time he had served in jail awaiting his admission into CROSSWAEH and his time spent in the program.
Elden Mills pleaded guilty to drug possession. The 50-year-old Galion man admitted to possessing Adderall on June 24. He was ordered to serve five years on community control and complete a drug and alcohol assessment. He received a six-month license suspension and a $2,000 mandatory drug fine. Mills was also ordered to forfeit any drug-related property being held by the Galion Police Department.
Frankie Phipps Jr. appeared in Common Pleas Court once again for crimes that he just can’t seem to shake. Thirty-one-year-old Phipps of Galion, who had originally pleaded guilty to breaking and entering in June, returned to court for violating his community control.
Phipps’ parole officer alleged that Phipps had entered and took property from 321 W. Church St. in Galion without permission on Nov. 15 and failed to complete his drug and alcohol program since Oct. 16.
Wiseman appointed Tim O’Leary as Phipps’ counsel. O’Leary is also representing Phipps in other cases. Bond was set at $75,000.
Jamie Hall appeared in court for violating his community control. Hall, 32, had originally pleaded guilty to drug possession in September.
Hall allegedly violated his community control when he failed to report to his office visits, failed to maintain his address, and failed to comply with his substance abuse counseling.
Wiseman appointed Rolf Whitney as Hall’s attorney and set bond at $50,000 after assistant prosecutor Ryan Hoovler termed Hall as a flight risk.
Thirty-two-year-old David Dean of Tiro appeared in court for violating the terms of his diversion program. Dean had been placed on the diversion program in for a theft case from 2013. He was alleged to have moved from his address without the knowledge of his supervisor and admitted to using heroin recently. Wiseman appointed Brian Gernert at Dean’s counsel and set bond at $25,000.
Jason Brown failed to appear for his arraignment hearing Monday but he may have had a good excuse. Brown’s attorney Brad Starkey noted that he had received numerous messages from Brown stating that he was in the hospital and would not be released in time for his hearing. Wiseman continued Brown’s hearing until Brown was released from the hospital or the court has been notified of his condition.
Twenty-five-year-old Cody Webb of Ontario was missing in action Monday afternoon for his hearing on his drug and alcohol assessment.
Webb had pleaded guilty to drug possession at his arraignment in June, though his sentencing was to be announced after he completed a drug and alcohol assessment.
Webb’s court-appointed attorney Tim O’Leary said he had been unable to reach the Ontario man and was unsure of his whereabouts.
Hoovler requested that, because Webb had been on the run since May, a warrant should be issued. Wiseman agreed but ordered that the warrant be held until Wednesday in order to give Webb a chance to make his whereabouts known.