Drug sweep suspects make pleas

By Jane Beathard

Staff Writer

Five more area residents netted in a September sweep of suspected drug dealers pleaded guilty in recent days to trafficking charges.

Joshua Davis, 31, Edward Clifford, 40, Robert Cox III, 44, Danelle McHenry, 27, and Tereasa A. Petit, 51, all of London, pleaded guilty in Madison County Common Pleas Court to a variety of drug charges, stemming from an undercover investigation by city police and sheriff’s deputies. All were arrested as part of a Sept. 14 round-up of suspected traffickers.

Davis was sentenced to nine months in prison after pleading guilty to selling Hydrocodone in the vicinity of a child on April 23. An additional charge of permitting drug abuse was dismissed as part of a plea bargain.

Judge Robert D. Nichols denied a request by defense attorney Thomas Arrington to delay the start of Davis’ prison time, pending the man’s Nov. 23 wedding.

Clifford pleaded guilty to selling the painkiller Percocet on March 6 and permitting drug abuse on Feb. 18.

He faces up to 2.5 years in prison and a $7,500 fine for the conviction. Nichols ordered a pre-sentence investigation and set sentencing for Jan. 11.

Cox, who is already serving prison time for an unrelated drug conviction, pleaded guilty to selling marijuana in the vicinity of a child on March 20. He was sentenced to an additional nine months behind bars.

McHenry pleaded guilty to selling Oxycodone on June 13 and June 27 and morphine or June 13. One drug deal took place in the vicinity of a child.

McHenry now faces up to six years behind bars and a $20,000 fine for the conviction. However, McHenry is also eligible for community control, pending the results of a pre-sentence investigation. Sentencing is set for Jan. 17.

Nichols released McHenry from house arrest so the woman can attend high school classes.

Petit pleaded guilty to selling morphine on June 25 and Oxycodone and morphine on June 26. County prosecutor Steve Pronai agreed to delete language that one transaction took place in the presence of a child.

Petit faces up to 4.5 years in prison and a $15,000 fine. However, she is also eligible for community control, pending a pre-sentence investigation. Sentencing is Jan. 17.

In other common pleas court action on Tuesday:

• Bruce W. Coy, 36, and wife Courtney Coy, 30, pleaded guilty to theft, stemming from incidents between July 11 and Aug. 3. Mr. Coy now lives in London; Mrs. Coy lives in Mt. Sterling.

Each could go to prison for up to a year and pay a $2,500 fine. However, both are eligible for probationary sentences, pending the outcome of pre-sentence investigations. Their sentencings are set for Jan. 17.

Both are in Tri-County Regional Jail after failing to appear for earlier hearings. Nichols said those failures will factor into the pre-sentence investigations.

• Patrick Kessler, 22, of London, pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property on April 18 and Aug. 3.

Pronai said new charges against Kessler, stemming from a Nov. 5 break-in at Carter Lumber, 312 Lafayette St., London, will come before the county grand jury on Wednesday. Nichols delayed sentencing on the receiving stolen property convictions until Jan. 17.

• Tammi N. Herschell, 36, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to theft and misuse of a credit card between March 13 and June 2.

She faces up to four years in prison and $12,500 in fines. However, Herschell is likely to be placed on community control, pending the outcome of a pre-sentence investigation. Sentencing is Jan. 17.

• Casey D. Peterman, 24, of London, pleaded guilty to a July 10 forgery. Peterman was sentenced to six months behind bars.

• Robert C. McCoy, 22, of London, was arraigned on a charge of unlawful sexual conduct with an teenage girl on Dec. 18, 2009. McCoy was indicted a year ago, but was not arrested until Nov. 9.

Nichols appointed Dustin Blake to represent McCoy at a Jan. 15 trial and set a $5,000 surety bond in the case. Nichols also ordered McCoy to have no contact with the alleged victim.