By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
Crawford County Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold found himself in a rare position on Wednesday – not sending someone to prison that he could have.
Thirty-one-year-old Kristin Sweet is currently serving a prison sentence issued in Stark County following a conviction there for identity fraud, practicing nursing without a license and deception to obtain drugs. On Wednesday she pleaded guilty in front of the judge to three counts of practicing medicine without a certificate. Each count was punishable by 12 months in prison.
Leuthold accepted a plea agreement Sweet made with the Crawford County Prosecutor’s Office that called for a sentence of five years on community control with no fine. But Sweet must pay court costs and the cost of her supervision.
Sweet is scheduled for early release from prison on the Stark County conviction and will then go into counseling. She will be supervised on her Crawford County community control by Stark County officials.
The judge, noted for his frustration over sentencing guidelines that prevent prison sentences in certain situations, said, “Basically lying on your resume` will get you sent to prison. Seems a little lopsided and harsh.”
Sweet told the judge she had applied for jobs at nursing homes in Crawford County and indicated that she had a nursing certificate, when, in fact, she did not. She did tell the judge she had some medical training.
The judge also pointed out for the record that no one was injured by Sweet’s actions, but promised her that if she violated probation he would sentence her to prison for 36 months.
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