BUCURUS — Samuel Singer, 34, of Bucyrus appeared in Crawford County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday to plead guilty to possession of meth.
The charge is a fifth-degree felony punishable by as many as 12 months in prison.
A bit of banter between Singer and Common Pleas Judge Sean Leuthold led to a seemingly heartfelt conversation about the effects Singer’s meth use has had on his life and health.
When his case was called, Singer walked to the defense table in his bare feet. Leuthold inquired as to why he was barefoot.
“It’s laundry day at the jail. Normally I am a much more dapper Dan,” Singer quipped.
Leuthold noted the reference Singer had made calling himself a dapper Dan.
“Have you seen your mugshot? I wasn’t even sure it was you. You were no dapper Dan here. And in the movie the beard comes off,” Leuthold said referring to the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou.
Singer told the judge he found himself completely unflattering.
“Everybody is giving me a hard time over that picture,” Singer said. “I wish someone would take a picture of how I look now.”
Leuthold told him he looked half dead in his mugshot but he was looking much healthier now.
“For every six months you’re on meth you age about three years. You’re a 34-year-old man who looks twice that old in your mugshot,” Leuthold said.
Singer told the judge he was taking his sentence seriously. Leuthold sentenced Singer to five years of community control and drug and alcohol assessments and treatment.
“You know this mugshot should serve as a wake-up call to you,” Leuthold said. “The ball’s in your court. You seem like a nice guy who has a good sense of humor but you need to stay away from meth. If you mess up this chance not only will you look like that guy in the mugshot again, but you’ll be in prison.”