By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
A 19-year-old man nearly talked his way back into prison in spite of the Prosecutor’s Office and Judge Sean Leuthold’s desire to keep him out. Brandon Borders, who has about 30 months of a 36-month prison sentence hanging over his head, was back in Crawford County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday charged with violating probation.
Borders, who was convicted last year of having weapons under disability and released from prison early, admitted to doing damage while incarcerated at the county jail. The judge agreed to keep Borders on probation; however, he will remain in the county jail until he is transported to Mansfield to the VOA halfway house for treatment for substance abuse.
“This is the end of the road, man,” Leuthold told him. “Mr. Borders, please take advantage of this.”
Borders then began to tell the judge he got angry at not being permitted to “pay respects” to his mother while incarcerated in the jail. The judge was not receptive to his comments or the attitude expressed in conveying them.
“You are not the boss anymore. I am,” the judge told Borders. “You do what I tell you to do or I ship you to prison.”
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A 59-year-old Bucyrus man will be going to prison for violating probation. Michael Brown was convicted last year of drug possession and admitted he violated his community control by failing to report for meetings with his probation officer as required and having a positive drug test.
Brown was sentenced to six months in prison, although he will receive credit for time served in the Crawford County jail. The judge also said there would be no opposition to any request made for transitional control programs on Brown’s behalf.
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Twenty-six-year-old Wesley Efaw of Bucyrus pleaded guilty to felony 4 burglary during the afternoon session of court and was sentenced to 15 months in prison.
The judge encouraged Efaw to take advantage of his time in prison to get sober and use the treatment programs available to him there. Efaw was arrested in connection with a Rogers Street burglary in Bucyrus.
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Nicolas Hamel admitted to drug use and leaving the jurisdiction, both violations of his probation. Hamel was originally convicted in a 2015 case of felony 5 drug possession when he was placed on probation.
Hamel was sentenced to eight months in prison. The judge and Prosecutor’s Office stipulated they would not oppose transitional control, provided Hamel does not have further problems in prison.
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Fifty-four-year-old Bryan Alfrey pleaded guilty to the felony 4 charge of assault on a police officer. Alfrey admitted to drinking after having taken various prescription medications.
“I just want to get this all behind me,” Alfrey said.
Alfrey was sentenced to the maximum prison term of 18 months and fined $5,000. However, Judge Leuthold and the prosecutor agreed to consider early release. Alfrey was ordered to report on April 3.
Twenty-year-old Blaine Dunlap of Nevada was convicted in 2016 of felony 5 counterfeit controlled substances. Dunlap admitted Wednesday to violating his probation stemming from that case for missing probation office visits, testing positive for marijuana and failing to take a required drug screen.
Dunlap was sentenced to 12 months in prison.
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Twenty-four-year-old Alisha Hughes had some kind words for the judge at her hearing on allegations of violating community control.
“Thank you for not maxing me out,” Hughes said, which drew a smile from the judge.
Hughes was placed on probation as a result of being convicted of drug possession in 2016. She was sentenced to six months out of a possible 12 months after she admitted to violating probation for driving without a license, having drug instruments, failing to report as required, being in a car with people with a criminal background and drugs, and failing to comply with a drug abuse treatment program.
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Forty-seven-year-old Louis Kimberlin of Galion pleaded guilty to one indictment and one bill of information. In both cases Kimberlin was charged with felony 5 obstructing justice.
At least one of the charges was a result of Kimberlin aiding a fugitive wanted on a felony warrant to avoid arrest.
Kimberlin was sentenced to five years on community control, but he could go to prison for 24 months, 12 months on each original charge, should he not successfully complete community control.