BUCYRUS — A Bucyrus man appeared in Crawford County Common Pleas Court on Monday to enter a plea to a charge of driving under the influence.
Jesse Baird, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of DUI or with concentration of alcohol in bodily substances.
Because of several previous DUI convictions, this case was a fourth-degree felony. The sentencing for this felony is a maximum of 30 months in prison. In a plea negotiation, Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold sentenced Baird to a flat 18 months in prison.
Leuthold also imposed a Class II lifetime driver’s license suspension. He was also ordered to forfeit his license plates. Baird will receive 40 days of jail time credit. Leuthold said he would not oppose to transitional control if the prison requested it.
“Don’t count on the prison requesting transitional control,” Leuthold said. “When you get out, you’d better not drink and try to get behind the wheel again.”
In other court action, Matthew Mogan, 31, of Galion appeared in Common Pleas Court to reject a plea agreement he had originally accepted.
Mogan is charged with possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony punishable with up to 12 months in prison. According to allegations, Mogan overdosed in Bucyrus and was revived.
Mogan told the court he received a letter from the police saying that if he sought treatment immediately for the overdose, he could receive immunity.
Leuthold told Mogan that since he was already on probation in another Ohio county that he did not qualify for immunity. Leuthold advised Mogan that he had every right to withdraw the plea and have a full trial.
“I will make sure that you receive a fair trial and that your Constitutional rights are protected,” Leuthold said.
Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Hoovler withdrew the state’s original plea offer, which was a flat six-month prison sentence.