Published: July 02, 2008 02:55 pm            

Local man sentenced in meth case

By PAUL LORENZ

paul.lorenz@mcleansborotimesleader.com

McLEANSBORO — A local man facing more than a dozen methamphetamine-related charges has been sentenced after entering a guilty plea to a single felony count.

Jeffery D. Parker, 23, of 505 E. Jefferson St., pleaded guilty June 25 to unlawful possession of meth, a Class 3 felony, according to Hamilton County Circuit Court records.

Judge Leo Desmond sentenced Parker to 12 months of periodic imprisonment, 30 months’ probation and fines of $500 plus an additional $500 drug assessment fine and court costs, court records indicated.

Parker and his wife, Misty R. Parker, were arrested in December following a police search of their home. Upon their arrest, their three children — ages 4, 3 and 11 months — were taken into protective custody.

The court convicted Jeffery Parker of being in possession of less than 5 grams of meth or a substance containing meth, court records stated.

In exchange for his guilty plea, charges of unlawful participation in meth production, unlawful possession of meth precursors, unlawful meth conspiracy, three counts of unlawful meth-related child endangerment, and seven counts of unlawful possession of meth-manufacturing materials were dismissed.

He is to report July 13 for periodic imprisonment in White County Jail, Carmi. Court records indicate he may leave the jail to report to his place of employment for work but must remain in jail at all other times.

Parker is to be released from jail Jan. 13, and the remainder of his jail sentence will be waived if he successfully completes a residential drug treatment program, records indicated.

Misty Parker, 20, who pleaded not guilty in January to multiple meth-related charges, has a pretrial hearing set for 11 a.m. July 17 in Hamilton County court.

Jeffery Parker was on parole from prison when he was arrested in December. He had been sentenced to two years in prison after his probation was revoked after being convicted of possession of a controlled substance.

        

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