At The Law Offices of Arnold S. Levine, L.P.A., we understand how Ohio prosecutors may attempt to accuse a defendant of committing multiple crimes. A conviction for each charge, however, is not always the result, and you may avoid being sentenced with a prosecutor’s requested punishment of lengthy incarceration. Under some circumstances, rehab may serve as an alternative sentence or help to reduce jail time for charges involving alcohol or drugs.
A Hamilton County law enforcement officer was sentenced to six months and lost her job after she pleaded guilty to stealing prescription drugs, as reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer. The 35-year-old former law enforcement officer was dispatched to a home in Colerain Township, and while on official duty, she purportedly took some prescription drugs from the residence and failed to properly document them.
Charges of theft in office and aggravated possession were filed after the prescription pills were found in her own home. Allegedly, she also offered the pills for sale in addition to other illegal substances that officials discovered when they arrested her.
The drug charges were dropped, and she pleaded guilty to one count of theft. In her defense, she claimed that post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety caused her to make some bad decisions. The judge sentenced her to serve six months at the state prison, which also provides rehabilitation for alcohol and substance abuse. Because a theft conviction may be considered a serious felony, she can no longer serve as a public law enforcement official.
Our page on criminal defense provides more information on the types of issues you may face if arrested and your rights to due process and a legal defense.