WILMINGTON — A man who stole a handgun — apparently to sell so he could buy meth — has been sentenced in a Clinton County court.

Edward E. Creech Jr., 24, of Clarksville, was placed under community controls and ordered to pay $1,000 restitution to the theft victim.

However, since his Aug. 20 sentencing, he had at last report failed to meet with the court’s Probation Department — though ordered to go there within 24 hours, according to court papers.

Creech took a SIG Pro .40-caliber handgun from a Clarksville-area residence in September 2017, reportedly while he was there to repair the carpet.

According to the affidavit, Creech sold the pistol to a man who turned around and sold it to a third person. When the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office obtained consent to search the third person’s residence, the man was located inside the residence hiding under trash bags, debris and clothing in a corner of a back bedroom, according to law enforcement.

This third person told authorities there were three stolen guns on the property and told deputies where the stolen firearms were located. Two stolen guns were located, but not the SIG Pro .40-caliber handgun the authorities in the Creech case were after, stated the affidavit. The SIG pistol has never been recovered.

The two men who admitted to buying the stolen SIG pistol were both found at the time of their admissions to be in possession of methamphetamine.

Prior to the sentencing hearing, Creech paid the full $1,000 in restitution into an escrow account. Prosecutors indicated in a court paper that if Creech did not violate bond and remained of good behavior, they would not oppose community controls as the sanction in the case.

A paper in the case file indicates Creech claimed at one juncture that he did not want to take part in substance abuse disorder treatment. In response, Clinton County Common Pleas Judge John W. “Tim” Rudduck wrote, “The court will not require something which is not needed but the supervision staff is to determine whether treatment is appropriate.”

In addition to a two-year term of community controls and the restitution, Creech received a suspended six-month jail term and was granted credit for eight days already served in jail on the case.

If the defendant’s term of community controls is revoked because he violates one or more of the community control rules, he could be sent to prison for nine months.

In other recent sentences:

• Colin Patrick Root, 39, of Wilmington, convicted of possessing heroin and of aggravated possession of drugs, received a two-year term of community controls, which includes a requirement that he complete programming at the residential STAR Community Justice Center. He must pay all court costs, a public defender fee, and received a six-month jail term with credit granted for 61 days he spent in jail.

• Joshua M. Tunner, 38, of Wilmington, convicted of aggravated possession of drugs, received a suspended six-month jail term and was placed on community controls for two years. He must pay all court costs and a public defender fee. He was granted credit for 50 days incarcerated in the county jail.

• Cynthia R. Delarosa, 32, of Washington Court House, convicted of possessing heroin and of failing to appear in court, received a six-month jail term and was put on community controls for two years. Her community control sanctions include a requirement she attend and complete the residential programming at the STAR Community Justice Center. She must pay all court costs of the two cases, and was granted credit for 86 days in jail on the cases.

• Jody M. Boram Jr., 28, of Kettering, convicted of aggravated possession of drugs, received a suspended six-month jail term and put on community controls for one year. The contraband was forfeited. The defendant was granted credit for five days in jail.

Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.