Two people charged in a counterfeiting operation earlier in the year and indicted by the Grand Jury this month were sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court Monday, August 18th.
24 year old Megan Ann Lann and her boyfriend, 27 year old Somer Walid Abdalla both of Pine Grove Road, Smithville were indicted on charges of criminal simulation and passing counterfeit bills as currency.
Abdalla pleaded guilty to criminal simulation over $1,000 and received a two year sentence, all suspended to supervised TDOC probation. The case is to run consecutive with a violation of probation sentence against him in the General Sessions Court in another case. Under terms of the plea agreement, Abdalla cannot associate with his girlfriend Lann except for court authorized contact with their child. All jail credit of 143 days from March 28th, 2008 to August 18th, 2008 shall be applied to the violation of probation sentence in the General Sessions court case.
Lann pleaded guilty to forgery (passing) and received a two year sentence, all suspended to TDOC supervised probation. She must make restitution toWal-mart in the amount of $240 and perform 100 hours of community service work. She must not associate with her boyfriend Abdalla under terms of the plea agreement.
These two and another man, 22 year old Jason Ryan Chapman of 212 North Mill Street, Dowelltown were arrested as the result of a joint investigation by the Smithville Police Department and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department. The indictments stem from the Sheriff’s Department cases against the three defendants. The Smithville Police Department has not yet presented it’s cases to the Grand Jury.
Lann and Abdalla were accused of producing at least $800 to $1,000 in counterfeit $10 and $20 bills on a desktop and laptop computer and printer in their home and then passing some of those bills at local and area businesses.
Detective Sergeant Jerry Hutchins’ Jr. says the Smithville Police Department also charged Lann and Chapman with passing counterfeit bank bills as currency.
Chapman, an employee of Walmart in Smithville, could be seen on a videotape from the store’s surveillance camera , along with Lann, making purchases at Walmart with some of the counterfeit money.
Sheriff Ray and Detective Sergeant Hutchins say counterfeit bills showed up at several businesses during the winter and spring. The bills had no water marks or bar codes and some were not cut squarely. The bills also had some of the same serial numbers.
According to Sheriff Ray, both Abdalla and Lann were involved in manufacturing the counterfeit bills.
Meanwhile, in other cases Monday, 31 year old Crystal Deck pleaded guilty to theft over $10,000. She received a three year sentence, all suspended to time served from May 25th, 2008 to August 18th, 2008. She must perform 100 hours of community service work and make restitution.
34 year old John Charles Deck, Jr. pleaded guilty to theft over $10,000 and also received a three year sentence suspended to time served from May 25th, 2008 to August 18th, 2008. He must perform 100 hours of community service work and make restitution.
43 year old Larry Frasier, Jr. pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and was sentenced to four years to serve. The sentence is to run concurrently with a Sumner County case he is now serving. Frasier was given jail credit from July 18th, 2007 to August 18th, 2008.
30 year old Joel Thomas Hayes pleaded guilty to simple possession of a schedule III controlled substance. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days, all suspended to probation. He must pay a fine of $750 and undergo an alcohol and drug assessment.
51 year old Marc Jenkins pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated assault and received a three year sentence, all suspended to TDOC supervised probation. The sentence is to run concurrently with a sentence in the General Sessions Court. Jenkins shall have no contact with a victim in the case. He will be permitted to have a pass for work related out of state travel as long as he complies with all probation prerequisites and conditions.
22 year old Corey Robert Winchester charged with sale of a schedule IV controlled substance and facilitation of sale of a schedule II controlled substance was granted judicial diversion probation for a period of three years. He must perform 100 hours of community service work, undergo an alcohol and drug assessment, and pay $18 restitution to the sheriff’s department. He was given jail credit of eleven days.
38 year old Randy A. Caldwell pleaded guilty to sale of a schedule II controlled substance and received a four year sentence committed to time served with the balance of the sentence suspended. The case will run consecutive to a violation of probation case against him. Caldwell must make restitution of $75 to the sheriff’s department, pay a $2,000 fine, perform 100 hours of community service work, and undergo an alcohol and drug assessment. He was given jail credit from April 18th, 2008 to August 18th, 2008.
28 year old Joey Phelps pleaded guilty to burglary and received a three year sentence, all suspended to time served. The case is to run consecutive to a violation of probation case against him. He must perform 100 hours of community service work and pay restitution. He was given jail credit from June 20th, 2008 to August 18th, 2008.
32 year old Donna Thompson pleaded guilty to two counts of sale of a schedule III controlled substance. She received a three year sentence in each case to run concurrently. She will be on probation supervised by community corrections. Thompson must pay a $2,000 fine, perform 100 hours of community service work, and undergo an alcohol and drug assessment and follow the prescribed treatments.
32 year old Bryan Douglas Brannon pleaded guilty to a first offense of driving under the influence. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days, all suspended except for 48 hours to serve. He must pay a $350 fine and attend an alcohol safety school. He will be on supervised probation and will lose his license for one year.
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