Court hands down prison sentences for drug offenses

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August 29, 2009

By HEATHER PYLES, CJ Staff Writer The Commonwealth Journal Sat Aug 29, 2009, 08:35 PM EDT

Numerous defendants, including many who had been arrested as part of several drug investigations carried out by law enforcement, appeared in Pulaski Circuit Court last week.

The defendants, all arrested on various drug charges including trafficking and manufacture of methamphetamine, appeared before Pulaski Circuit Judge David A. Tapp Thursday, including a Pulaski County couple arrested in early July after a “strong chemical odor” led officers to their residence.

Johnny Dewayne Brown, 36, of Bronston, and Theresa R. Brown, 38, of Bronston appeared in court Thursday and pleaded guilty to drug charges.

Johnny Dewayne Brown pleaded guilty to one count of manufacturing methamphetamine Thursday, according to Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney David L. Dalton. That charge stemmed from the July 12 incident in which deputies with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department discovered a meth lab at Brown’s residence on Antioch Church Road. The deputies reportedly found items used in the manufacture of meth, such as Lithium batteries, ammonia nitrate, starting fluid, liquid fire, salt, tubing, coffee filters, propane tanks, muratic acid and lye, and Brown allegedly told officers that he’d been manufacturing the illicit drug.

Johnny Dewayne Brown was on probation for flagrant non-support at the time of his arrest.

Dalton recommended a 24-year prison sentence. Tapp se final sentencing for Sept. 24.

Theresa R. Brown entered an Alford Plea to one count of solicitation to manufacture of meth. Theresa Brown allegedly stated she purchased the items used to manufacture meth at Wal-Mart for use by Johnny Brown.

Dalton recommended a 10-year prison sentence and Tapp set final sentencing for Sept. 24.

The following defendants also appeared before Tapp on Thursday:

• Brandon Keith Compton, 27, of Somerset pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance. According to Dalton, a confidential informant with the sheriff’s department purchased oxycodone from Compton in April. Compton was reportedly on felony probation for a prior trafficking charge at the time of his arrest.

Dalton recommended a 20-year prison sentence and Tapp set final sentencing for Sept. 24.

• Ronnie Wayne Kennedy, 29, of Burnside pleaded guilty to one county of third-degree burglary and one county of manufacturing metham-phetamine. Kennedy allegedly broke into a Burnside building in April and he was also reportedly found to be manufacturing meth in July by the Lake Cumberland Area Drug task Force, according to Assistant Common-wealth’s Attorney Jeremy Bartley.

Bartley recommended a 10-year prison sentence and Tapp set final sentencing for Sept. 24.

• William R. Carrender, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of felony theft. Carrender allegedly took tools and equipment from a property on Ky. 1247 in Dec. 2008, according to Dalton.

Dalton recommended a five-year prison sentence and Tapp set final sentencing for Sept. 24.

• Larry Shane Keith, 28, of Somerset was sentenced to 10 years in prison for two counts of facilitation to manu-facture metham-phetamine. A Nov. 2008 investigation by sheriff’s department revealed that Keith and others were reportedly involved in manufacturing meth at a residence on Hacker Road, and Keith was also allegedly found to be involved in a separate meth lab on Normandy Court.

Tapp handed down a 10-year prison sentence.

• Eric G. Gosser, 24, of Somerset pleaded guilty to theft by unlawful taking and was sentenced to one year in prison after Gosser allegedly stole a cell phone from a woman in Feb.

• Edward L. Crabtree Jr., 30, of Somerset was sentenced to three years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after Crabtree, who’d previously been convicted of a felony, allegedly pawned a Mossberg .12 gauge shotgun in April 2008.

The following defendants were revoked off of conditional release, according to Commonwealth’s Attorney Eddy F. Montgomery:

• Charles Curtis Black, 30, of Somerset was sentenced to 20 years in prison after he allegedly violated the terms of his probation. Black was originally on probation for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and persistent felony offender.

• Calvin R. Todd, 31, of Brodhead was sentenced to five years after he allegedly violated the terms of his probation. Todd was originally on probation for third-degree burglary, theft and criminal mischief.

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