By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
One woman took a shortcut through the local justice system on Friday while a man got a shortened prison sentence – for now.
Janessa Dotson pleaded guilty to a bill of information in Crawford County Common Pleas Court alleging the charge of third-degree felony drug trafficking. While the maximum sentence could have been 36 months in prison and a $10,000 fine, the prosecution recommended and Judge Sean Leuthold imposed a sentenced of 30 months in prison with a $5,000 fine.
Dotson was extremely quiet and subdued in her conversation with the judge. The judge was not, even though he noted that Dotson had no record of any previous felony convictions.
“However, she engaged in one of the most serious crimes I believe we have. I believe a prison sentence is necessary,” Leuthold said. “I don’t know how you possibly thought you were going to sell heroin in this county and not go to prison. It doesn’t work that way.”
Dotson also received a six-month driver’s license suspension and must forfeit all drug-related property seized by the Galion Police Department at the time of her arrest.
The judge agreed to free Stephen Salyers from prison before his 54-month sentence was completely served, but he made it abundantly clear he was not happy about doing so.
“There’s not a chance in hell I would go along with this,” noting that Salyers’s plea agreement had been judicial release when he was sentenced in 2013 for third-degree felony gross sexual imposition came before he took the bench.
Leuthold also issued a very stern warning about violating community control and spoke to probation officer Ken Dyer of the Adult Parole Authority who will supervise Salyers.
“One slip out of him and I want to know about it,” Leuthold said.
Then directing his attention to Salyers he added, “Don’t test me.”
Salyers is considered a Tier II sexual offender and the judge ordered that his community control have an intensive supervision status. Further stipulations at the request of Dyer are that Salyers have no contact with minors or the victim.