By Gary Ogle and Krystal Smalley
gogle@wbcowqel.com; ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
The message continues to be sent by Crawford County Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold that repeat offenders and probation violators will not be tolerated. That was made clear during hearings Tuesday in which four people were sentenced to prison.
Nicholas McIntyre was sentenced to two 10-month prison sentences to be served consecutively. McIntyre pleaded guilty to felony drug possession which also violated his probation from a previous conviction for the same offense.
Melissa Stewart also received two consecutive 10-month sentences. Her probation was revoked in two cases when she admitted to violations.
Kevin Stewart was sentenced to an eight-month prison sentence for violating probation by using cocaine and heroin.
Holly Riddle was ordered to serve the balance of her four-year prison sentence for violating probation in a 2008 case. Riddle also admitted to drug use and altering a drug test.
In other hearings Tuesday, Craig Lantz pleaded guilty to two counts of fifth-degree felony drug possession. The sentencing recommendation from Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Hoovler was five years of community control, completion of a drug and alcohol evaluation and any recommended follow-up treatment, and six months driver’s license suspension. The judge ordered a pre-sentence investigation and will formally sentence Lantz at a later date.
Jeremiah Catrell was arraigned a charge of fifth-degree felony drug possession and pleaded guilty. The sentencing recommendation was five years of community control, completion of a drug and alcohol evaluation and any recommended follow-up treatment, and six months driver’s license suspension. A pre-sentence investigation was ordered and Catrell was released on a personal recognizance bond until his sentencing.
Twenty-seven-year-old Michael Fletcher of Bucyrus was ordered to serve three years on community control during his sentencing hearing Tuesday. Fletcher had submitted a guilty plea to deception to obtain a dangerous drug in February but the sentencing had been held until a pre-sentence investigation could be completed.
“You fall into a special category,” Judge Leuthold said to Fletcher, referring to Fletcher’s fourth-degree felony. “I can’t put you in prison even if I so desire.”
Leuthold warned Fletcher that he took community control very seriously and he would send Fletcher to prison if he violated his probation even once.
In addition to the community control sentence, Fletcher must complete a drug and alcohol treatment program approved by the Adult Parole Authority and must pay a $2,500 mandatory drug fine. His driver’s license was also suspended for six months.