By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
A four-year prison sentence was handed down in Crawford County Common Pleas Court Wednesday afternoon and Judge Sean Leuthold minced no words when it came to Brandon Nusbaum’s actions.
“This was basically like a drug smuggling operation,” Leuthold said.
Nusbaum was arrested by Galion police on Oct. 27 after an investigation led police and the United States Postal Service to determine that packages of drugs were being delivered to the Galion Post Office for Nusbaum. The 22-year-old Galion man was apprehended outside of the local post office after a package containing 200 tablets of Oxycodone was delivered.
Nusbaum pleaded guilty to felony 3 drug possession and felony 5 trafficking in drugs. He received the maximum sentences on both counts – 36 months and 12 months, respectively – for a total of 48 months in prison. He was also fined $5,000.
“I would hope this teaches you a lesson,” Leuthold told Nusbaum. “You mess with drugs in Crawford County, you get prison. It’s not that complicated.”
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Thirty-one-year-old Thomas Holbrook had a four-year, 11-month prison sentence re-imposed after he admitted to probation violations. The Niles, Ohio man was sentenced to prison in 2013 for felony 2 burglary and felony 5 drug possession. He was granted judicial release this past June.
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Fifty-one-year-old Scott Fearn, of Galion, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, a fourth-degree felony, and received an 18-month prison sentence. He was also fined $1,350, had his driver’s license suspended for 10 years, and must complete a mandatory alcohol treatment program.
“These felony OVIs – there’s no excuse for this,” Leuthold reprimanded Fearn. “Mr. Fearn, this is ridiculous.”
Fearn had six prior OVIs before this felony charge.
Michael Posey was sentenced to 10 months in prison after he admitted to violating his community control. The option Posey chose was one that did not sit well with Leuthold, who offered Posey a short prison stint combined with judicial release, and entrance into a community-based correctional facility. Posey, a Bucyrus resident, chose instead to serve a one-and-done prison sentence.
Posey admitted to testing positive for cocaine, possessing altered urine, and fleeing the Maryhaven drug treatment program.
“Mr. Posey was afforded a tremendous opportunity to get help. He decided he didn’t want that,” Leuthold remarked as he accepted admittance.
The judge believed 35-year-old Posey found a way to cheat the system in order to appear successful and questioned if he would extend a helping hand again.
“I’m not sure why I’d bend over backwards when you’ve already spurned (my help),” he said.
Posey pleaded guilty to theft in 2012 and was placed on probation.
Thirty-year-old Daniel Drew was sentenced to 10 months in prison after violating his community control. He was originally placed on probation after pleading guilty to felony 4 theft in 2015.
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Eighteen-year-old Zachery Johnson avoided a five-year prison sentence for now, but he will have to serve 100 days in the county jail. Johnson, of Crestline, pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a fourth-degree felony. He will be placed on probation after serving his jail time.
Twenty-three-year-old Christian Price, of Crestline, admitted to violating his probation after he took property, operated a motor vehicle under suspension, and tested positive for marijuana on a random drug screen.
“Normally, someone pulls this stuff I send them to prison. He (probation officer Mark Alspach) went to bat for you,” noted Leuthold. “You’re getting more breaks than most and I expect you to take advantage of it.”
Price was continued on community control, but must serve 90 days – minus time already served – in the county jail. He was given a report date of Feb. 3.
Price pleaded guilty to safecracking, a fourth-degree felony, in 2015 and was placed on community control for five years.
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