By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
Cigarettes cannot only be hazardous to one’s health, they can also pose a danger to one’s freedom – when they don’t have tax stamps.
A 24-year-old New York man was sentenced to prison on Tuesday – one of three arrested when the Ohio State Highway Patrol discovered untaxed cigarettes being transported while making a traffic stop.
Laki Johnson was sentenced to six months in prison by Judge Sean Leuthold. Although not fined in the case, Johnson must also forfeit the cigarettes to authorities. The judge told Johnson he would not oppose transitional release by prison authorities.
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A 29-year-old woman was also sentenced to prison Tuesday following her admission she violated her probation when she tested positive twice on drug tests.
Ashley Singer, who was convicted on charges of drug possession in 2014 and 2015, was sentenced to two 11-month prison terms which will be served concurrently.
Judge Leuthold told Singer he would not oppose any effort by the prison authorities to place her in a transitional control program.
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