|
|
|
|
 The Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall passes through downtown Wapakoneta Wednesday, September 1. Staff photo/William Laney By CARLA MEYER
Staff Writer
For 45 minutes, the roar of motorcycles could be heard passing under an American flag hanging from two ladder trucks. For 45 minutes, area residents gathered in the shadow of the Auglaize County Courthouse and Wapakoneta Fire Station waved and clapped as motorcyclists rode by.
The smiles and waves turned into clapping and cheers as the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall passed down Willipie Street on its way to Custenborder Field in Sidney where it was greeted by a field of American flags.
|
|
|
|
|
|
St. Marys man acquiited on drug trafficking charges |
|
Monday, 13 April 2009 |
By MATT NICHOLS
Staff Writer
A St. Marys man arrested among 23 others in a December drug sting was found not guilty Thursday of four drug trafficking counts by a jury of his peers.
Following a two-day trial at the Auglaize County Common Pleas Court, Garrett P. Whetstone, 23, 221 N. Pine St., St. Marys, was found not guilty on three counts of trafficking in marijuana, fourth-degree felonies, and one count of trafficking in marijuana, a fifth-degree felony.
Whetstone faced a maximum sentence of 5 1/2 years in prison and $17,500 in fines.
On Thursday, Whetstone walked out of the courtroom a free man.
Whetstone was one of 24 individuals arrested in a December drug sting by the Grand Lake Drug Task Force. Along with Whetstone, a number of suspects have faced Auglaize County Common Pleas Judge Frederick Pepple in several hearings over the past two weeks.
Last Monday, Johnny Chiles, 25, of Sidney, was sentenced to five years probation after pleading guilty to one count of trafficking in marijuana, a fifth-degree felony.
David Christian Jr., 48, of Wapakoneta, was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading guilty to one count of trafficking in drugs, a fifth-degree felony. Christian also must pay $70 in restitution and his operators license was suspended for five years.
Christian originally faced two fifth-degree trafficking in drug felony charges as well as two fourth-degree trafficking in drug charges. In a plea agreement, one of the fifth-degree charges and both fourth-degree charges were dismissed.
Jeffrey L. Christian, 24, 602 E. Auglaize St., was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of trafficking in drugs, fourth-degree felonies, one count of trafficking in drugs, a fifth-degree felony. The sentence was the maximum which could imposed upon Christian who must also pay restitution of $960 to the Grand Lake Drug Task Force.
Robert Mabry Jr., 29, 200 Knoxville Ave., St. Marys, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of trafficking in heroin, fourth-degree felonies. Mabry received credit for 106 days in jail. Mabry must also pay $611 in restitution to the Grand Lake Drug Task Force.
Brian K. Whittemire, 46, 1302 E. Spring St., St. Marys, pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in marijuana, a fifth-degree felony, and one count of attempted sale of dangerous drugs, a fifth-degree felony.
Whittemire faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Chad W. Coble, 33, of Celina, pleaded guilty to one county of trafficking in marijuana, a fifth-degree felony, and two counts of trafficking in drugs, fourth-degree felonies.
Coble is scheduled to be sentenced at 1 p.m. May 13. He faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison and a $12,500 fine.
|
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 15 April 2009 )
|
|
|
|
