By Gary Ogle and Krystal Smalley
gogle@wbcowqel.com; ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Justice was as sure as it was swift Tuesday for defendants who made appearances in Crawford County Common Pleas Court.
Six people received prison sentences following their guilty pleas to felony charges or admissions to charges of violating probation. The longest was handed down to 48-year-old Leslie Douglas who received consecutive sentences totaling 54 months on two drug-related charges.
Douglas was arrested along with three others following the execution of a search warrant at 3889 King Road. The others arrested in connection with that search warrant and recovery of drugs were Douglas’s wife Rose, Jamie Hall and Stephanie Lockart. Although it was initially reported that Douglas and his wife owned the property, they were renting it and had sublet the property to Hall.
At Douglas’s initial appearance in Municipal Court where his bond was set at $250,000, Assistant Prosecutor Robb Kidd told Judge Shane Leuthold that investigators believed Douglas was “behind the operation.”
Douglas pleaded guilty to two third-degree felonies – drug possession and drug trafficking. He was sentenced to 36 months on the drug possession charge and 18 months on the trafficking charge.
“Mr. Douglas, mess around with heroin (and) you’re going to go to prison. Everyone should know that by now,” Judge Sean Leuthold told Douglas. “It’s not going to be tolerated.”
Douglas was also fined $5,000 and ordered to forfeit all drug-related property to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office that was seized.
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Another defendant from the arrests related to the search at the King Road residence was also in court and was also sentenced to prison. Thirty-three-year-old Jamie Hall pleaded to fifth-degree drug possession and admitted to charges he violated probation after his conviction in a 2015 case for drug possession.
The probation violation allegations were that Hall had failed to report to his probation officer, was involved in the King Road incident, changed addresses without permission, tested positive for cocaine and did not comply with a court-ordered substance abuse program.
Hall was sentenced to eight months in prison on the new felony possession charge and a consecutive seven-month sentence for violating probation for a total of 15 months.
Hall was also fined $1,250 and ordered to forfeit drug-related property to the Sheriff’s Office.
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As Judge Sean Leuthold noted, Dustin Hoffman’s record wasn’t terrible at all. But the judge also noted just how seriously he views what Hoffman did.
The 22-year-old Crestline man pleaded guilty to the third-degree felony charge of failure to comply. The judge pointed out that Hoffman’s actions not only endangered his life, but that of the police officer in pursuit. Hoffman wrecked his vehicle into a building and then fled.
“I take the lives of our law enforcement officers very seriously,” the judge said.
Hoffman was sentenced to the maximum prison term allowed – 36 months – and fined $3,000. He was also given a lifetime suspension of his driver’s license.
The judge did tell Hoffman he would consider an early release.
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David Sousa pleaded guilty to two fifth-degree felony charges, breaking and entering and forgery.
Sousa was sentenced to 12-month prison terms on both charges. The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently. A misdemeanor theft charge against Sousa was dropped in exchange for his plea.
Misty Dyer admitted to allegations she violated probation by refusing a drug screen and being in the company of convicted felons.
“I don’t have any choice,” the judge told the 23-year-old Bucyrus woman. “You mess around with heroin, you’re going to prison.”
Dyer was convicted in a 2015 case for drug trafficking and was sentenced to 15 months in prison as a result of the probation violations.
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Jason Clevenger admitted to violating the terms of his probation and received a prison sentence. The 40-year-old Crestline man confirmed that he violated the terms of his community control when he admitted to using Percocet in March, a fact that was backed up by a positive urine screen for opiates.
Leuthold sentenced Clevenger to 12 months in prison with credit for time served in the county jail and while he was under house arrest in 2013.
Clevenger was placed on probation in 2013 after entering a guilty plea to trespassing on a habitation while a person was likely to be present, a fourth-degree felony.
The rest of Tuesday’s court news can be found at: Man extradited to Alabama to face rape charges.