Man gets support from his employer

by Doug Thompson

A 31-year-old Floyd man will serve three months in jail two days at a time over the next 45 weeks after his employer went to bat for him on charges of violating his probation.

Raymond Chiron Jax told Circuit Court Judge Ray Grubbs Tuesday he had a drug problem and admitted smoking marijuana on a regular basis when he failed a drug screen as part of his probation from a May conviction for unlawful wounding. He was given a five-year suspended sentence for the conviction.

Jax told the court he entered a drug treatment program and had tested clean in his last two drug screens. During questioning by defense attorney Stephanie Murray Shortt Jax said he was trying to turn his life around and was doing so with help from the treatment program and support from his employer, Chateau Morrisette Winery.

Under cross examination by Commonwealth’s Attorney Gordon Hannett, Jax admitted smoking marijuana three to four times a week before seeking help through drug counseling.

Stephanie Aldrich of the winery told the court Jax was a “valued employee” and that the winery had placed him on probation when he was arrested for violating his probation. Aldrich said the winery supported Jax in his battle to turn his life around.

“We consider him a great worker and a role model for the rest of the staff,” Aldrich testified. “I trust him.”

After hearing from Jax and Aldrich, Grubbs revoked Jax’s probation and reinstated the five-year sentence but suspended four years nine months. Shortt asked the judge to allow Jax to serve his sentence on his two days off each week and Grubbs granted the motion.

In another matter before court this week, Grubbs sentenced a Mexican drug dealer to a year and two months in jail for selling cocaine to a confidential informant of the multi-county drug task force in 2006.

Abel Dominguez Francisco entered pleas to charges of selling cocaine in July and September of last year, admitting he sold two grams of the drug for $70 each.  The hearing on the plea agreement took longer than normal because Francisco did not speak English and had to use a translator in court.

Grubbs sentenced Francisco to 20 years on the two charges but suspended all but a year and two months and placed the Mexican citizen on four years probation. He was also ordered to repay the $140 used by the task force to purchase the drugs.

In other cases before Circuit Court Tuesday, Grubbs:

—Revoked the probation of Matthew Scott Harris for failing to report to his probation officer and reinstated two years of the original five year sentence.

—Upheld the lower court conviction of Melissa Dawn Weddle of Willis for possession of a controlled substance (prescription drug) after she admitted lying to a State Trooper about possessing a pain killer drug that belonged to her boyfriend. Grubbs delayed adjudication of the charge for a year, giving Weddle a chance to clear her record if she stays out of trouble.

—Accepted a no contest plea from Matthew Lee Ratcliffe on four felony charges and one misdemeanor citation stemming from theft of checks from his mother. Ratcliffe was accused of forging his mother’s signature to the checks and cashing them to pay for drugs.  The judge delayed final action pending a pre-sentencing report.

—Gave Sophia Lynn Jarrell a 12-months suspended sentence and 100 hours of community service for misusing food stamps under a plea agreement.

—Accepted a no contest plea from Chad Wayne Tankersley on felony breaking and entering and grand larceny charges and two misdemeanor charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor stemming from a burglary but delayed final disposition under he receives a pre-sentencing report.

—Accepted a plea from Kalinda Wycoff on a reduced charge of possession of marijuana and suspended half of her fine.

A number of other cases were continued and a grand jury returned a set of indictments which were not available at press time.