HILLSBORO — The wheels of justice were swift for a Greenfield man who was arrested on drug charges Oct. 24, 2019, was indicted Dec. 3, 2019 and then pled guilty and was sentenced for those charges Feb. 12, avoiding a jury trial scheduled for six days later in Highland County Common Pleas Court.
G. Paul Leonard, 47, Greenfield, faced a six-count indictment, and two-and-a-half months later, Judge Rocky Coss sentenced him to prison for four years and 11 months.
In that indictment, Leonard was originally charged with one count each of trafficking in methamphetamine and heroin in the vicinity of McClain High School in Greenfield, one count each of meth and heroin possession, one count of receiving stolen property, and a forfeiture specification.
Counts one and three of the indictment, trafficking in drugs at his home, which is named in the indictment as being one-half block away from McClain High School, were dropped, and Leonard entered guilty pleas to the drug possession and receiving stolen property charges, along with the forfeiture specification.
His judgment entry of confinement stated that he was sentenced to 24 months in prison for aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a third-degree felony; a two-year mandatory sentence for possession of heroin, a felony of the second degree; and 11 months for receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony.
All of the prison sentences were ordered to be served consecutively, in addition to forfeiting $2,370 in U.S. currency to the Greenfield Police Department.
He was given credit for 112 days jail time already served.
Arrested that same day with Leonard, and also named in the same indictment, was Francis J. Jordan II, 42, Greenfield, who was charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a third-degree felony, in addition to a forfeiture specification.
Jordan pleaded guilty to the charges on Feb. 5, will face sentencing on March 4, and according to court documents has requested entry into the New Way to Recovery Drug Court docket.
Reach Tim Colliver at 937-402-2571.
