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Three convicted of selling prescription pills

By Richelle Bailey | The McDowell News

Published: January 27, 2010

Three local folks accused in separate incidents of selling prescription pills will spend time on probation.
Robert Hezekiah "Bobby" Patton, 21, of Crestwood Drive in Marion recently pleaded guilty in McDowell County Superior Court to two counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance and one count of possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule IV controlled substance.
Judge Laura J. "Suzy" Bridges handed Patton a nine- to 11-month suspended sentence and placed him on supervised probation for 24 months. He was ordered to spend six months on intensive supervised probation, perform 72 hours of community service and pay court costs, restitution of $600 for a state lab fee and reimbursement of $600 for a court-appointed attorney.
Patton was previously placed on supervised probation for felony convictions. A probation officer conducting a court-ordered visit at Patton's residence on Aug. 26 discovered methadone, Oxycodone and Alprazelam, or Xanax, in his possession, according to previous reports.
Patton reportedly told investigators he was selling the pills to raise money for his probation fees.
In a separate case, Robert Cosen Turner, 52, of Dawns Drive in Marion pleaded guilty to two counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule III controlled substance and one count each of possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule III controlled substance and sale and delivery of a Schedule II controlled substance.
The judge gave him three consecutive six- to eight-month suspended sentences and placed him on supervised probation for 36 months. Turner must spend nine months on intensive supervised probation and pay three court costs, a $1,500 fine, restitution of $600 for a state lab fee and reimbursement of $1,712.50 for a court-appointed attorney.
Detectives previously stated that they received information Turner was selling prescription pills, so they set up an undercover buy, and the suspect sold 100 10-milligram hydrocodone pills to the officer.
Turner had been prescribed the potent painkillers by a physician, according to authorities.
Officers said they seized an additional 170 hydrocodone pills and $1,600 in cash from Turner's property.
In another case, Marie Barnes Thompson, 58, of Green Meadow Lane in Marion pleaded guilty to two counts of selling a Schedule IV controlled substance and one count each of possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule IV controlled substance, selling a Schedule II controlled substance and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance.
She was given two consecutive 15- to 18-month suspended sentences and was placed on supervised probation for 36 months. Thompson was ordered to spend nine months on intensive supervised probation, perform 72 hours of community service and pay two court costs, restitution of $600 for a state lab fee and reimbursement of $225 for a court-appointed attorney.
Thompson was arrested on Dec. 4, 2008, following an investigation into the sell of pain medication. She was charged with selling Clonazepam and Alprazolam, which are used to treat anxiety disorders, and Roxicodone, a painkiller.
Investigators stated that an undercover officer purchased prescription drugs from Thompson on three separate days.
The following defendants also appeared Jan. 4 to 8 in McDowell County Superior Court:
-- Richard Glenn Bentley, 49, of Twin Lakes Park in Old Fort pleaded no contest to violation of a domestic violence protection order. He was given a 150-day suspended sentence and was placed on supervised probation for 12 months. The judge ordered him to pay court costs.
-- Joshua Brewer, 27, of Beach Glen Development in Marion pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor larceny. Judge Bridges handed him two 45-day suspended sentences and placed him on supervised probation for 12 months. Brewer must pay two court costs and restitution of $45 to the victim in the cases.
-- Clifford Oree Case Jr., 39, of Bryson C Drive in Marion pleaded guilty to driving while license revoked and fleeing to elude arrest. On the DWLR charge, he was given a 120-day suspended sentence and was placed on supervised probation for 24 months. He must pay court costs. On the fleeing to elude offense, Case was handed an 11- to 14-month suspended sentence and was placed on supervised probation for 24 months. He was ordered to serve 54 days in jail and was given credit for that amount of time spent in pretrial confinement. Case must also pay court costs, a $500 fine and restitution of $412.50 for a court-appointed attorney.
-- Bradley Eugene Goble, 29, of Lenoir pleaded guilty to driving while license revoked. He was given a 120-day suspended sentence and was placed on supervised probation for 18 months. The judge ordered Goble to spend 10 days in jail and pay court costs and a $200 fine.
-- Samantha Lynn Hoover, 20, of Spruce Pine pleaded guilty to driving while license revoked and failure to use child restraint. She received a prayer for judgment and was ordered to pay court costs.
-- Arvil Lee James Morgan, 24, of Highway 10, Nebo, pleaded guilty to two counts of injury to personal property and one count each of misdemeanor larceny, larceny of a motor vehicle, possession of up to ½ ounce marijuana, resisting a public officer, assault with a deadly weapon, communicating threats and failure to return rental property. Judge Bridges sentenced him to eight to 10 months in prison.
-- Martin Nunez, 44, of Newton pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor larceny. He was sentenced to 90 days in prison.
-- Jackie Lynn Rich, 46, of U.S. 64 South in Marion pleaded guilty to larceny by employee. The judge handed Rich a six- to eight-month suspended sentence and placed her on supervised probation for 24 months. She was ordered to pay court costs and restitution of $853 to the victim in the case.