By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Two men were sent to prison Wednesday while a third tested the patience of the Crawford County Common Pleas Court judge.
Robert Nead Jr. pleaded guilty to trafficking in drugs, a third-degree felony. The 41-year-old Galion man was sentenced to 24 months in prison, fined $5,000, and ordered to forfeit drug-related property to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office. His driver’s license was also suspended for six months.
“People in Crawford County don’t tolerate selling drugs and neither does this court,” Judge Sean Leuthold told Nead.
Shane Banks pleaded guilty to receiving stolen poperty, a fifth-degree felony. The 23-year-old Bucyrus man was sentenced to 12 months in prison, the maximum sentence for the felony, in exchange for an unsuccessful termination of his probation.
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Twenty-three-year-old Logan Temple of Nevada balanced on the fine line between jail and prison, but it was Judge Leuthold’s tenacity that was the ultimate tipping point.
Leuthold had been working with Temple in the court’s Intensive Supervision and Treatment program, a program that Leuthold said “basically bends over backwards” to help those involved.
“Bottom line is this court moved heaven and Earth to help Mr. Temple and now here we are,” Leuthold said.
Temple admitted to testing positive for cocaine but Leuthold had a hard time believing Temple’s story for why he tested positive. Temple said tested positive for cocaine because a friend blew smoke into his face while he was riding around in their car. Once he realized what the smoke was, Temple told Leuthold, he got out of the car as quickly as he could.
Leuthold called it a nonsense excuse and warned Temple he was losing patience with the man.
“I got out of the car as soon as I could,” Temple stated.
“I don’t buy that you just got in a car with somebody who was smoking crack cocaine and you immediately got out,” Leuthold replied. The judge was skeptical of that claim in light of the fact that Temple tested positive for crack cocaine on two different tests – a mouth swab and a urine test – spaced a few hours apart.
When Leuthold asked where Temple was heading when he got in the car, Temple said he was on his way to Circle K on Lane Street to buy cigarettes.
“Do you know who goes to the Circle K on Lane Street?” Leuthold demanded in a thundering voice. “Because that’s where everybody goes who gets drugs . . . I am so sick of your attitude, like somehow I’ve inconvenienced you.”
Temple’s family members were sitting in the back of the courtroom as Leuthold questioned him. The judge pointed to the two women, who began to cry at Temple’s evasive answers, and said that Temple had caused the pain and misery his family was going through.
“Nobody caused it but you,” Leuthold yelled at Temple.
Despute his frustration with Temple’s story, Leuthold ordered Temple to serve 30 days in the county jail, with the special conditions that he completes the court’s ISAT program and stays away from the Circle K on Lane Street, which recently closed.
“It’s time for you to live up to your obligations,” Leuthold said. “I haven’t quite given up on you yet.”
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Harlie Witten was placed on community control for five years after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine but Judge Leuthold remained concerned about her future.
“You’re record here doesn’t seem to be too terrible,” Leuthold said as he reviewed her record, noting mostly irresponsible behavior in her past.
“Ms. Witten, I’m worried about you,” Leuthold said. He told her the people suffering emotionally could be in a ver dangerous position to relapse back into old habits.
“Are you going to be all right?” Leuthold asked.
“Yeah, I’m working on it,” Witten replied.
Her attorney, Adam Stone, said he has seen a completely different person since he first met Witten.
In additional to her community control, she must complete a drug and alcohol treatment program, pay a $1,250 fine, and her driver’s license was suspended for six months. Leuthold warned Witten that if she has any problems while on probation, he would place her on the court’s Intense Supervision and Treatment program.
Thirty-three-year-old Jamie Hall of Shelby was sentenced to five years on community control for drug possession though 12 months will be hanging over his head if he fails his probation.
“I expect you to toe the line. Community control is not a joke; I expect you to take it seriously,” Leuthold told Hall. “You narrowly avoided going to prison, Mr. Hall. I would keep that in mind.”
Hall must complete a drug and alcohol treatment program and pay a $1,250 mandatory drug fine. His driver’s license was also suspended for six months.
Twenty-four-year-old Joshua Miller of Bucyrus denied allegations that he tested positive for cocaine and admitted to using the drug on Sept. 14. Leuthold appointed attorney Brad Starkey and set bond at $100,000. Miller had been on community control for a felony five drug possession charge.
Twenty-seven-year-old Khristin Sharp of Bucyrus denied that she tested positive for benzodiazepines and twice for marijuana. Leuthold appointed attorney Adam Stone and set bond at $150,000. Sharp has been on community control since April after pleading guilty to receiving stolen property and trafficking in drugs.