WILMINGTON — Clinton County Common Pleas Judge John W. “Tim” Rudduck sentenced a woman to two years of community controls after she reached a negotiated agreement with prosecutors.
Jessica Hall, 29, of Pleasant Plain, pleaded guilty to a charge of illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for manufacture of drugs, a third-degree felony. As part of the negotiated agreement, a separate such charge was dismissed.
In court, Clinton County Public Defender Rob Baker said Hall supplied the pseudoephedrine necessary for making meth, but didn’t prepare it herself.
Clinton County Assistant Prosecutor Matt Suellentrop said, “This is a very serious crime,” one that the state favors prison time for, but he believed Hall could be kept on restrictive community controls.
Before sentencing Hall, Rudduck said her actions enabled others to “produce this poison – methamphetamine” and said it used to be required that he send someone charged with it to prison.
Rudduck agreed with the negotiated settlement, sentencing Hall to two years of community controls, with a suspended six-month jail term should she comply.
Rudduck also ordered Hall to complete what he called the court’s “most intense outpatient program,” the Community Supervision Program. In addition to meeting probation officers weekly, Hall must enroll in programs that probation feels are necessary. If she does well with that, Rudduck said he may put her on basic supervision with only monthly reporting.
Probation officers may randomly drug test Hall as well.
Hall’s co-defendant was also sentenced to community controls, Suellentrop said.
Baker said Hall was enrolled in a recovery program for families in Clermont County, working to get her GED and a job.
Additionally, Hall said she first used meth that was given to her by a family member when she was 12 years old, and she continued to use it until shortly before her pre-sentence investigation interview.
Rudduck pointed out that Hall had several factors against her – home life, genetics and others – that may have contributed to her use of drugs, “but you’ve got control of your life. You’re the one that has to make the right decisions.”
When asked if there was something that would make her want to change, Hall said she wants to see her two six- and 11-year-old children, of which she no longer has custody.
“I want to be able to see them and talk to them,” Hall said. “I want to be able to part of their life still.”
“You seem to have a solid footing right now and understanding of what you need to do to change your life,” Rudduck said. “You’ve been fighting this battle for more than half your life. … I think it’s time to change.”
Reach Nathan Kraatz at 937-382-2574, ext. 2510 or on Twitter @NathanKraatz.
