By Kathy Laird
Duane Hicks 33, of Hilliard was sentenced to 24 months in prison Tuesday in Crawford County Common Pleas Court.
Hicks was scheduled to go to trial on Thursday for a second-degree charge for burglary. In a last-minute deal, he avoided trial by pleading guilty and accepting a two-year prison sentence.
Before implementing the sentence, Judge Sean Leuthold asked Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Hoovler if he wanted to make a comment. Hoovler said he consulted the victims and they were accepting of the deal.
“They are glad they do not have to testify here because they are afraid of Mr. Hicks,” Hoovler said.
When Hicks’ attorney, Carlos Crawford, spoke he asked the court to declare Hicks indigent and to refrain from garnishing his commissary account.
Leuthold told Carlos to draft a motion.
When asked if he had anything to say, Hicks said he was sorry.
Leuthold then told Hicks a lot of negotiation went into the deal and he felt it was a fair resolution.
“Let me be clear. Crawford County is a law-abiding county and the people here are well armed,” Leuthold said. “If you go into the wrong house at the wrong time, you could be dead.”
Hicks also is on felony probation in Franklin County and the new conviction is a violation of his probation. He will face charges in that county as well. Hicks will receive credit for time served in jail.
In another case, a Crestline woman will spend the next 48 months in prison.
Angela Carroll, 50, pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking in drugs and received 18 months for each count. She also was convicted of a probation violation that carried 12 months in prison. She was ordered to pay a $2,500 fine and court costs.
She will receive credit for jail time served. Carroll also will forfeit all drug-related property to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office.