By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
It wasn’t a long period of time when Shaun McCarty was arrested, arraigned, and finally sentenced.
The events that led 30-year-old McCarty to be ordered to serve a multiple-year prison sentence began when he was arrested on March 25 for drug trafficking and drug possession. His bail was set on those charges on Monday in Crawford County Municipal Court at $1 million.
By the time Wednesday rolled around, it was Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold’s turn.
McCarty pleaded guilty to a bill of information on charges of third-degree drug trafficking and fifth-degree drug possession.
Leuthold took McCarty’s previous criminal record into consideration when handing down the prison sentence. McCarty had been convicted of domestic violence in 2008, drug possession and probation violation in 2011, and a misdemeanor drug possession in 2009.
“He’s admitted his wrongdoing in this matter,” defense attorney Tim O’Leary said. “I do believe this will be an opportunity to change his life.”
McCarty seemed to echo O’Leary’s sentiments when he said he took full responsibility for his actions.
“I know what I did was wrong,” McCarty said. “I am sorry.”
He added that he knew what it meant to be addicted but Leuthold reprimanded him on the matter of addiction. Though McCarty knew exactly what it meant to be addicted, Leuthold said, he continued to perpetrate the matter by selling drugs.
“This is the wrong county to be engaging in criminal behavior,” Leuthold warned. “I think a maximum prison sentence is appropriate. Justice is going to be swift but it’s going to be harsh.”
McCarty was sentenced to the maximum sentence of 36 months for trafficking in drugs. He had been selling heroin and had an amount between 50 and 100 units. That sentence will be served concurrently to a 12-month prison sentence for drug possession for a total of 36 months. McCarty also had his driver’s license suspended for six months and must pay a $5,000 mandatory drug fine. He was ordered to forfeit any drug-related property to the Bucyrus Police Department.
Trevor Manore of Marion was sentenced to 10 months in prison for violating his community control. Thirty-year-old Manore had pleaded guilty to drug possession a year ago but only recently ran into trouble with his supervising officer.
Manore allegedly had his urine sample test positive for marijuana, failed to report to his drug and alcohol assessment, failed to report to his scheduled office visits with his supervising officer, changed his residence without permission, and failed to abide by the rules of his substance abuse counseling. He admitted to all of the violations.
Judge Leuthold sentenced Manore to 10 months in prison with jail-time credit of 13 days.
“When you get out of prison and come back here,” Leuthold warned Manore, “if you start taking drugs again you’ll land right back in prison.
Two women pleaded guilty to bills of information Wednesday morning.
Ashley Thompson received a six-month prison sentence with credit for 17 days served in the county jail on a charge of fifth-degree drug possession. Michelle McClintock received a seven-month prison sentence with credit for 10 days spent in the county jail on a charge of fifth-degree drug possession.
Both women had their driver’s licenses suspended for six months and must each pay a $1,250 mandatory drug fine. McClintock must also forfeit any drug-related property currently being held to the Galion Police Department.
Thirty-four-year-old Morgan Minamyer of Galion appeared in Common Pleas Court for violating his intervention program. Minamyer, who had been on intervention since last April after entering a guilty plea to forgery, allegedly failed to report to his supervising officer as instructed and was unsuccessfully terminated from Maryhaven.
Leuthold set bond at $250,000 after learning Minamyer had tested positive for drugs that morning.
“He’s absolutely a danger to himself and this community,” Leuthold said.