A 34 year old man pleaded guilty Wednesday in DeKalb County Criminal Court to one count of initiation of a process to manufacture methamphetamine in a July, 2013 case. But instead of jail, Judge David Patterson furloughed Bradley Pugh to a drug treatment facility in Arkansas. He was also fined $2,000 and given over six months of jail credit.
If he doesn’t successfully complete the program, Pugh is facing an eight year sentence to serve at 30% before parole eligibility, plus an additional eight year sentence after being found in violation of his probation in another meth crime which occurred in October, 2011.
A court order signed by Judge Patterson states that, Pugh is to “be furloughed and released from the DeKalb County Jail on January 22 to be transported to Grace Mission Bible Training Center in Paragould, Arkansas by his parents. It is anticipated that Pugh will complete the program within ten months after which he will be placed on probation for the remainder of the sentence imposed in this case. However, if Pugh fails to successfully complete the intensive outpatient program at Grace Mission Bible Training Center, then he will immediately return to the DeKalb County Jail to serve the balance of his sentence.
Pugh was one of two people arrested on July 11, 2013 after a sheriff’s department detective discovered meth related items in their truck during a traffic stop and then found more incriminating evidence against him at a residence in Dowelltown.
In November 2011, Pugh pleaded by information to a separate charge of initiation of a process to manufacture meth. He received an eight year sentence in that case, suspended to probation. Pugh’s arrest in that crime came on October 10, 2011 after a deputy found items used to make meth in Pugh’s truck on Seven Springs Road.
In other court cases Wednesday, 29 year old Rhonda Joy Goff pleaded guilty to three charges of forgery. She received a total sentence of three years on these charges suspended to supervised probation but the term is to run consecutive to another sentence she is currently serving. Goff must also make restitution to the victims.
Sheriff Ray said that Goff allegedly went to Jewel’s Market on South Congress Boulevard last year and passed forged checks on May 2, May 3, and May 14. She allegedly admitted to a detective to having committed the forgeries.
43 year old Vickie Cantrell pleaded guilty to two counts of Sale of a Schedule II controlled substance. She received a sentence of four years in each case to run concurrently with each other but consecutively with another sentence she is now serving. Cantrell must serve at least 30% before parole eligibility. She was fined $2,000 and must make restitution to the Smithville Police Department. The term is to run consecutive to another sentence she is currently serving.
Cantrell is one of the sixty four people indicted by the grand jury last week in the Sheriff’s Department’s recent undercover drug investigation. She was also indicted in August 2013 as the result of a Smithville Police Department undercover drug probe in December 2012.
42 year old Donald Junior Perry pleaded guilty to delivery of a schedule VI controlled substance (marijuana) and violation of probation. The sentences are to run concurrently but he has been furloughed to the DeKalb County Drug Court. If he doesn’t successfully complete the program Perry is facing a two year sentence on the drug charge and the balance of a six year term in the previous case for which his probation was revoked. Perry was given 129 days of jail credit.
Perry was indicted in August 2013 as the result of an undercover drug investigation by the Smithville Police Department in February, 2013.
43 year old Jeffery White pleaded guilty to promotion of methamphetamine. He received a two year sentence suspended to probation. He must pay a $2,000 drug fine. White was given jail credit of forty three days.
21 year old Travis Melton pleaded guilty to introduction of contraband into a penal facility. He received a three year sentence, all suspended to supervised probation. The term is to run with his current probation. He was given jail credit from August 6 to December 22, 2013.
Sheriff Ray said that while being booked into the jail on other charges Tuesday, August 6, officers asked Melton if he had anything on him. He replied no. Before being locked down, Melton was searched by a correctional officer who found less than a half ounce of marijuana on Melton’s person.
34 year old Tammy Sue Steele pleaded guilty to theft under $500 and driving while her license was suspended. She received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days to serve on the theft charge and six months to serve on the license offense. The two sentences are to run concurrently with each other and with cases against her in White County. Her license is suspended for one year.
40 year old Gary Lane Hale pleaded guilty to sale of a schedule II drug and received a three year sentence suspended to probation. Hale was granted judicial diversion. He was fined $2,000 and must make restitution of $90. He is to undergo an alcohol and drug assessment.
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