SIDNEY – The male half of a Sidney couple facing multiple drug-related felony charges has accepted a plea deal in pleading guilty to lesser charges in Shelby County Common Pleas Court this week.
David W. Arnett Jr., 50, 3404 Chickasaw Court, entered a plea of guilty to two counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs, third and fourth-degree felonies. He also agrees to forfeit $874 in cash derived from drug sales confiscated during his arrest.
He faces a maximum sentence of 54 months in prison and a $15,000 fine. He will be sentenced on May 8.
On Jan. 4, Arnett, and his wife, Mona L. Arnett, 46, same address, were indicted by the Shelby County grand jury. They were accused of trafficking drugs from their home, and, in the presence of a juvenile.
David Arnett was originally charged with four counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs. Two counts were fourth-degree felonies as the other charges were third-degree and second-degree felonies.
Online court records indicate authorities had proof of Arnett selling drugs Aug. 29 and Sept. 21, both in 2016; possessed drugs in the presence of a juvenile on Sept. 22, 2016; and packed drugs for sale at his home on March 7, 2017.
The case against Mona Arnett continues. With no prior felony convictions in Shelby County, Arnett has requested she be eligible for treatment in lieu of conviction. Judge James Stevenson ordered the Adult Probation Department to assess her for such treatment.
Mrs. Arnett is charged with permitting drug abuse, a fifth-degree felony; and aggravated trafficking in drugs, a third-degree felony. She is accused of permitting drug trafficking activity in her home, and for having drugs near a juvenile.
Both remain free on recognizance bonds.
In other cases:
• Robert E. Blankenship, 59, 4662 Hardin-Wapak Road, was sentenced to 120 days in the Shelby County Jail on one count of attempted possession of criminal tools, a first-degree misdemeanor. He was also fined $200 and assessed court costs.
• Megan E. Myers, 24, 13844 Sharp Road, entered into a plea agreement during her status conference. She entered a guilty plea to a count of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. Part of the agreement is that the prosecution requests she be placed on community control at her sentencing.
Myers faces a maximum sentence of 12 months in prison and a $2,500 fine. She was arrested June 22 in possession of cannabinoid pharmacophore.
• John George Habib, 53, Akron, Ohio, accepted a plea agreement during a recent status conference. He pleaded guilty to one count of attempted aggravated possession of drugs, a first-degree misdemeanor. He faces a maximum sentence of 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
He was arrested on Jan. 14 in possession of fentanyl.
• Jeffrey A. McMahan, 51, 847 Fielding Road, was found guilty of probation violations in two cases. He violated rules in cases involving perjury and a violation of a protection order, both third-degree felonies.
According to court records, he failed to obtain employment within 30 days, failed to apply for at least five jobs per week, and made no payment for his ankle monitoring device that needed to be reinstalled. He was given seven days in jail but had seven days jail time credit.
• Alfonso Macias Jr., 20, 301 W. State St., Botkins, pleaded guilty to a probation violation in connection with a conviction of attempted failing to provide a change of address, a fifth-degree felony. He had an attempted sexual battery charge conviction as a juvenile and is required to continue to register as a sex offender.
Court records indicate Macias failed to report to his probation officer, and, has not attended mental health and drug/alcohol counseling. He remains incarcerated at the county jail.
