By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Judge Sean Leuthold was blunt when he called Adrian Gallegos a “stoned out of his mind idiot” for making a bomb threat at the Bucyrus CVS Pharmacy last November.
Gallegos, a 25-year-old Bucyrus man, pleaded guilty in Crawford County Common Pleas Court Wednesday morning to felony 2 robbery and two counts of felony 5 drug possession. He received eight years on the robbery charge and 24 months on the possession charges for a total of 10 years in prison. Leuthold also fined Gallegos $5,000 and ordered him to serve five years on mandatory post-release control for the robbery charge.
Defense attorney James Mayer III acknowledged his client inconvenienced, alarmed, and terrified people when he made his threats on Nov. 19.
“He was clearly not thinking clearly on the day of this offense,” Mayer said.
The defense attorney stated Gallegos was on a drug bender when he entered the Bucyrus CVS with a poorly schemed plan to steal prescription drugs.
According to County Prosecutor Matthew Crall at Gallegos’ arraignment hearing in November, Gallegos entered CVS and requested paper and something to write with before jotting down a list of drugs he wanted. He then told the clerk he had a bomb and a gun with him. The store was evacuated and Gallegos was allowed to leave the premises with the drugs he asked for.
Gallegos, however, left his wallet on the store counter. The information discovered in the wallet led police to a residence where Gallegos was found hiding under blankets.
His claims of having a bomb and a gun were later proven to be unfounded.
“I just really want to apologize, sincerely apologize to the people I frightened,” Gallegos said Wednesday. “It was an extremely stupid choice.”
When Leuthold asked Gallegos if he was the one who passed out in WalMart after sniffing cleaner, Gallegos admitted it was.
“That indicative of what’s happened in your life,” Leuthold said, describing both events as ill-advised and impulsive.
The judge consented that Gallegos was not a danger when he was sober.
“When he is on a drug bender or he’s withdrawing, he’s unpredictable,” Leuthold said. “It’s just a crazy, insane thing to do . . . We can’t let stuff like that happen here. This has to be a safe community.”
Charges of inducing panic and two counts of drug possession were dismissed in exchange for Gallegos’ guilty plea.
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Shawn Cary, of Bucyrus, and Richard Castle, of Mansfield, both pleaded guilty to fifth-degree felony charges and received prison sentences.
Cary pleaded guilty to drug possession and drew an eight-month prison sentence and a $1,250 fine. Castle entered a guilty plea to harassment by a bodily fluid and received a six-month prison sentence.
“You spit on a cop, you’ll go to prison. We don’t tolerate that stuff,” Leuthold warned Castle.
The last time Eric Rendlen faced Leuthold, the judge left him visibly terrified. That
feeling seemed to remain with Rendlen when he appeared before the judge for his sentencing hearing.
Rendlen pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking – Xanax, in this case – in March. Leuthold sentenced him to five years on community control and fined him $2,500.
“You won’t be seeing me again,” Rendlen assured Leuthold.
“Let me put it this way. You don’t want to see me again,” Leuthold corrected.
If Rendlen fails on community control, he could be sentenced up to 30 months in prison.
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