By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
In an unusual change of events, a felony five drug possession charge landed one man in prison.
Typically, a community control sentence is handed out for fifth-degree felonies but, as part of Patrick Thompson Jr.’s plea deal, the thirty-four-year-old Galion man agreed to serve a short sentence in return for dismissing one of the charges.
Thompson admitted in Crawford County Common Pleas Court Tuesday morning that he had possessed cocaine on Feb. 8, 2014. He was sentenced to six months in prison with credit for the 60 days he has already served. Thompson’s driver’s license was suspended for six months and he was ordered to pay a $1,250 mandatory drug fine as well as forfeit any drug-related property being held by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office.
A second drug possession charge was dismissed.
Howard Javens faced up to making a bad decision when it came to being around drugs. Javens had been arrested along with his son, Dustin Javens, Joshua Osborne, and Cody Frazier on Feb. 12, 2014 after a drug bust at Javens’ Whetstone St. home.
Javens appeared in Common Pleas Court Tuesday afternoon to plead guilty to permitting drug abuse, a fifth-degree felony. The fifty-four-year-old Bucyrus man freely admitted that, as the owner of the home, he knowingly allowed a drug offense to occur there.
Javens was placed on community control for three years and had his driver’s license suspended for six months. He was also ordered to successfully complete a drug and alcohol assessment and any follow-up treatment as well as pay a $1,250 mandatory drug fine. Javens must also forfeit any drug-related property being held by the Bucyrus Police Department.
Dustin Javens had been charged with felony two drug possession and Osborne was charged with felony five drug possession. Both cases are still pending.
Trevor Manore pleaded guilty to possessing drugs Tuesday. The twenty-nine-year-old Marion man admitted to possessing heroin on Aug. 30, 2013. He was placed on community control for three years and was ordered to successfully complete a drug and alcohol assessment along with any recommended follow-up treatment. Manore’s driver’s license was also suspended for six months, ordered to pay a $1,250 mandatory drug fine, and forfeit any drug-related property being held by the Galion Police Department.
Steven Fry avoided any jail time after pleading guilty Tuesday but he wasn’t able to completely avoid any repercussions.
The twenty-three-year-old Mansfield man pleaded guilty to an amended felony four charge of attempting to have weapons under disability. Fry admitted to trying to obtain a firearm on Feb. 10, 2014 while under disability from a previous conviction.
Fry was placed on community control for two years and fined $750.
Being in jail isn’t quite an acceptable excuse for failing to attend one’s anger management counseling, especially if that problem is what led one to be in jail in the first place.
Twenty-three-year-old Joshua Holycross knew which violations he was facing and had planned on waiving counsel to move the hearing forward but he made sure to air his grievances with one of the violations. Holycross told Judge Russell Wiseman that the reason he couldn’t comply with his anger management counseling, which was one of the violations he was facing, was because he was in jail.
Before Holycross could land himself in even more hot water, Wiseman quickly reminded him that anything he said could be used in court and asked once again if he wanted a lawyer. Wiseman appointed Tim O’Leary as Holycross’s counsel after Holycross chose to be represented.
Holycross also allegedly violated his community control by causing physical harm to two people on March 28 and knowingly damaged property at the Crawford County Justice Center on March 31.
Assistant prosecuting attorney Ryan Hoovler requested a $25,000 bond but, in light of Holycross’s continued struggles with anger, Wiseman increased the bond to $50,000.
Holycross had previously been granted judicial release on Jan. 22, 2014 after serving time for theft.
Kevin Foust appeared in court for an initial hearing on his community control violations. Andrew Motter was appointed as his counsel and bond was set at $50,000. Foust had pleaded guilty in 2011 to an amended charge of aggravated assault and had been sentenced to an 18 month prison term.
Thirty-one-year-old Derrick Hughett of Galion was arraigned in Common Pleas Court Tuesday morning on a felony two burglary charge. Tim O’Leary was appointed as his counsel and bond was set at $50,000.