By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
Two men were in court Monday having plead to and preparing to plead to felony drug possession. Although one was sentenced to prison, the other was not prison eligible and had some words for Judge Sean Leuthold at his sentencing.
“Thanks for helping me out,” Daniel Fowler said sincerely when given the opportunity to speak.
Fowler, who had earlier pleaded guilty to felony 5 drug possession, was sentenced at the recommendation of the County Prosecutor’s Office to five years of community control, given a six-month driver’s license suspension and fined $1,250.
The judge also had some words for the man who thanked him.
“Don’t mistake our compassion for weakness,” Leuthold said.
Should Fowler fail on community control he could be sent to prison for 12 months.
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Brandon Robison is going to prison for six months following his guilty plea to felony drug possession. Robison was fined $1,250, had his driver’s license suspended for six months and ordered to forfeit all drug-related items to the Galion Police Department.
Robison was prison eligible as a result of a conviction in Delaware County on a felony sex offense charge.
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William Blackert Jr.’s motion for early release from a prison sentence was granted by the judge. Blackert was sentenced to 24 months in prison in January as a result of his conviction for the third-degree felony of failing to comply with an order or signal of a police officer.
“Please, for your sake, don’t violate your community control and make me send you back to prison,” Leuthold said. The judge, when in private practice, had represented Blackert.
Blackert was placed on five years of community control.
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Aaron Keister’s motion for a bond reduction was denied by the judge. Keister is charged with second-degree felony burglary, two counts of possession of drugs, and having a weapon while under disability.
While defense attorney Thomas Nicholson argued the actual facts were not as egregious as they might first appear, Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Hoovler argued that Keister’s $250,000 was fair and just.
The judge called the charges involving drugs and weapons “a bad combination” in denying the motion.
Stacy Jones indicated to the court she wished to hire her own attorney. Jones is currently 
represented by court-appointed counsel Geoffrey Stoll and is charged with first-degree felony illegal manufacture of drugs and second-degree felony illegal assembly or possession of chemicals to manufacture drugs.
Leuthold agreed to Jones’ request. But when she informed him she did not have an attorney hired yet, the judge warned her that without a right to speedy trial waiver she would be going to trial in July.
Jones and her co-defendant, Alfonso Villavicencio Jr., were arrested during a meth lab bust in April in Monnett. She is being held on a $750,000 bond.
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