Monday, November 23, 2009 10:45 PM CST
Man pleads guilty, gets prison for planned marijuana sale
By DAVE FOPAY, Staff Writer dfopay@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON — One of two people arrested for having about four pounds of marijuana they planned to sell admitted to the offense and agreed to prison time.
Johnny J. Moore, 29, 1613 Marshall Ave., Mattoon, pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of cannabis with intent to deliver. He was sentenced to eight years in prison for the conviction that could have brought a three- to 14-year prison term, and was recommended for a prison discipline program that can lead to an early release.
Police records in his case indicate that officers found the marijuana, scales and two guns at the residence where Moore and Melissa S. Day lived with their 11-month-old son. A charge of unlawful possession of a weapon filed because Moore has an earlier felony conviction was dismissed.
Circuit Judge Mitchell Shick also imposed a $5,000 fine for the street value of the drugs and included another $1,100 in fines in the sentence. Records show that Moore has another marijuana delivery conviction from 2007.
Shick sentenced Moore based on a plea agreement that Assistant Tracy Robinson and defense attorney Terese Matthews recommended. Day was also charged and the case against her is still pending.
In other cases in court recently, guilty pleas were also entered by:
-Trent M. Dailey, 23, for whom records listed an address on Lake Land Boulevard in Mattoon, to an aggravated battery charge alleging he cut a man with a knife on April 5.
Dailey was placed on probation for two years that included three weeks in jail with more jail time stayed, meaning he won’t have to serve it now but it could be imposed later if he violates any of his probation requirements. Terms of his sentence included no contact with the other man and substance abuse treatment.
Circuit Judge Teresa Righter accepted a plea agreement that Assistant State’s Attorney Mick McAvoy and Public Defender Lonnie Lutz recommended.
- Monica L. Bailey, 21, 808 S. Ninth St., Mattoon, to a charge of driving under the influence and other traffic offenses with which she was charged after she was stopped for speeding on Illinois Route 16 west of Charleston on Aug. 22, 2008.
A felony charge of obstructing justice alleging Bailey lied about her identity to try to avoid being arrested was dismissed and she received a year of conditional discharge, supervision with fewer restrictions than probation.
Terms included a $1,000 fine and substance abuse treatment. Righter accepted a plea agreement that State’s Attorney Steve Ferguson and defense attorney Todd Reardon recommended.
-Kayla M. Gunderson, 18, 1221 Madison Ave., Charleston, to a charge of possession of cannabis with intent to deliver alleging she planned to sell marijuana a police officer found in her vehicle during a traffic stop on Sept. 19.
Gunderson received two years of what’s called first-offender probation, meaning she won’t have a record of a conviction if she follows her sentence’s requirements. Probation terms included substance abuse treatment, $1,100 in fines and stayed jail time.
Shick accepted a plea agreement that Robinson and Lutz recommended.
- Jason A. Turner, 25, for whom records listed addresses on Marion Avenue and on Douglas Drive in Charleston, to a misdemeanor resisting police charge alleging he struggled with a police officer on Jan. 24.
A felony aggravated battery charge alleging Turner hit the officer was dismissed and he was placed on probation for a year. Terms included about a month in jail, substance abuse treatment and a $250 fine. Righter accepted a plea agreement that McAvoy and defense attorney Jeannine Garrett recommended.
- Jean C. Young, 24, 123 Vine Ave., Charleston, to a resisting police charge accusing her of struggling with an officer investigating a fight on May 7.
The charge was reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor and terms of Young’s two-year probation sentence included substance abuse treatment and a $500 fine. Righter accepted a plea agreement that McAvoy and Lutz recommended.
Contact Dave Fopay at dfopay@jg-tc.com or 238-6858.
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slap63 wrote on Nov 24, 2009 7:48 AM: