By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Judge Sean Leuthold spent extra time speaking with 22-year-old Brooke Bayless after sentencing her on an amended drug possession charge.
The Bucyrus woman pleaded guilty to felony 4 drug possession, which was amended down from felony 3 tampering with evidence. The guilty plea will be held until Bayless successfully completes two years on the court’s intervention in lieu of conviction program.
“I’ve put five people in this program in that last 14 months,” Leuthold told Bayless. “Three of them successfully completed that. I don’t put many people on it, but when I do I expect them to follow it.”
Leuthold said Bayless’ behavior over the last eight months played a significant factor in putting her in a program that he is often not fond of. He noted that only one pill had been found in her possession and she had routinely tested negative for drugs as the defense and prosecution worked through her case.
“The defendant has earned this,” Leuthold acknowledged before cautioning Bayless about her future behavior.
“Sometimes I think I waste my breath when I say these things,” Leuthold began. “I’m not positive in my mind that you’ve separated yourself from the drug culture. At least tangentially, you’re still involved with some people . . . If you don’t want to be one of those people you need to change.”
As part of her guilty plea, Leuthold dismissed a 2015 drug possession case. If Bayless fails on intervention, she could face up to 18 months in prison and be fined up to $5,000.
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Michael Banks’ admission to violating his diversion program left Leuthold in a sarcastic mood.
The 27-year-old Bucyrus man was placed on diversion in 2014 by former Judge Russell Wiseman, but he failed to show for office visits the last few months of 2015 and failed to make payments on court-ordered restitution.
“So Mr. Banks didn’t do anything he was supposed to do?” Leuthold asked assistant county prosecutor Ryan Hoovler.
“It’s safe to say he didn’t do anything,” Hoovler responded.
“In other news, water is wet,” Leuthold, who was not surprised by Banks’ actions, said. He added that Banks would have never been placed on diversion if the case had come through his court rather than his predecessor’s.
The judge accepted Banks’ admission to his violations and ordered him to complete 45 days in the county jail. He will also be placed on community control and must pay $3,440 in restitution.
“You’ve screwed up so badly you’ve got yourself one misstep away from prison,” Leuthold said before asking if he had sent any of Banks’ friends to prison. Though Banks said none of his friends had been sentenced to prison, he admitted to knowing quite a few people who are now serving time after going through Crawford County Common Pleas Court while under the leadership of Leuthold.
“Do you want to be one of them?” Leuthold asked. When Banks said no, Leuthold left him with one warning: “This is urgent – you must complete community control.”
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Samuel Bowersox admitted to violating his community control when he tested positive and admitted to using morphine on Feb. 26. The 48-year-old Bucyrus man, who pleaded guilty to drug possession a year ago, was ordered to serve 60 days in the county jail, which he already served, and was continued on community control. Leuthold also transferred him to the county probation department.
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