BY MICHAEL BOOTH
GAZETTE-TIMES REPORTER | Posted: Friday, August 29, 2008 12:00 am
Teen trades jail time for possible clean record
One of the seven current and former Oregon State University students involved in a local drug operation agreed to a plea bargain Thursday after helping police identify an Albany man as the supplier.
Cory Benjamin Barr, 19, pleaded guilty to attempted possession of ecstasy Thursday in Benton County Circuit Court and was sentenced to five months in jail, 12 months of post-prison supervision and a six-month driver's license suspension. The charge is a class C felony. Three related charges were dismissed.
The drug bust on April 15 - code-named "Blowout" - resulted in the seizure of nearly one pound of cocaine, 30 pills of ecstasy, other prescription drugs and more than $13,000 in cash, according to court documents.
Police identified the man accused of being the supplier as Emmanuel Ortiz-Rodriguez, 26, of Albany. He once worked with one of the students at a department store warehouse. Albany police arrested him on charges of cocaine delivery, cocaine possession, child neglect and possession of a controlled substance. He remains at the Linn County jail pending an evidentiary hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 10 in Linn County Circuit Court.
Barr received far more jail time than the other students convicted so far, in exchange for the possibility that he could get his record expunged in three years.
"The fact that you are willing to do jail time up front, in order to get your record expunged later, tells me you are concerned about your future," Judge Locke Williams told Barr during sentencing.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Stringer said the community might have a misconception of what the students' sentences mean, because they appear to be relatively light.
In the students' sentences, Stringer said, he was restricted by sentencing guidelines that allow for minimal sentences for drug crimes if there is little criminal history. Barr's sentence was higher because he agreed to go outside the sentencing guidelines to get a lesser felony conviction.
Four others have received sentences after pleading guilty to charges related to the drug ring.
Jeffrey Kauppi, 24, and Jesse Shen, 27, pleaded guilty to cocaine delivery and were sentenced June 16 to three years' probation and 15 and 30 days in jail, respectively.
Thomas Habelt, 24, pleaded guilty to child neglect on May 12 for subjecting his young son to a drug environment and was sentenced to 20 days in jail and two years' probation.
Craig Shearmire, 19, pleaded guilty on July 22 to cocaine delivery and received a drug diversion sentence of nine months. Shearmire reportedly was indirectly involved by encouraging undercover police to leave money with Barr as he went to pick up drugs for delivery.
Two defendants are still awaiting court appearances.
Paul Wessinger, 19, has a court appearance Sept. 18 in connection with cocaine possession and delivery charges.
Andrew Westlund, 20, is scheduled to enter into a plea bargain Sept. 12 in connection with marijuana delivery and possession charges.