By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
The two people sentenced to prison on Thursday in Crawford County Common Pleas Court have one thing in common – they could be getting out early.
Thirty-year-old Michael Blum of Bucyrus pleaded guilty to felony 5 drug possession and felony 4 assaulting a police officer. Blum’s plea agreement with the Crawford County Prosecutor’s Office resulted in 12-month prison sentences on each count, but did allow for the possibility of early release after he serves 30 days, with the provision he enroll in a treatment program.
Judge Sean Leuthold credited defense attorney Brad Starkey for the work he did on Blum’s behalf and explained why the sentence wasn’t more severe given the charge of assaulting a police officer.
“No officer was hurt and it doesn’t appear he (Blum) was trying to hurt the officer,” Leuthold said. “I think this was just drunken foolishness. But Mr. Blum was on a PR bond at the time (for the drug charge) and a police officer was placed at risk,” the judge said.
Leuthold went further and commended the police for their restraint during the confrontation with Blum, especially in light of national publicity regarding police using deadly force when threatened. Leuthold said the officer would have certainly been justified for using his weapon given Blum’s behavior.
“He (the police officer) put his own safety at risk to insure your safety,” Leuthold said.
The judge also made it clear that Blum was not being promised early release, only that it would be considered if his behavior in prison warranted it. And, if Blum is released early, he made it just as clear that Blum would be monitored closely.
“You make me regret it (early release), I’m going to make you regret it.”
Twenty-four-year-old Megan Fox pleaded guilty to felony 5 drug possession and felony 4 promoting prostitution. The agreed-to sentence called for maximum prison sentences on each count – 12 months on the drug charge and 18 months for prostitution. However, the judge also agreed to consider early release after Fox serves six months. If she is released she will be enrolled in the court’s ISAT program.
Fox served a 10-month prison sentence in 2015 for theft.
“You’re a mess,” Leuthold told Fox, to which she readily agreed. “Your life is a mess. You are addicted to heroin.”
Under direct questioning from the judge, Fox said she had started drug use when she was 9 years old and began taking heroin when she was 13.
The judge explained he wanted Fox to have a chance to dry out and be clean when she started the program and six months in prison, when added to the two months she has been in jail waiting for her case to be resolved, would give her a good start with eight months of sobriety.
“You are the key,” the judge told Fox when discussing treatment and recovery from addiction. “You have got to fight for it.”
Leuthold promised Fox that every resource at the court’s disposal would be made available if she wanted it.
Fox replied quietly, “Thank you very much.”
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