A former Ohio University student will spend almost five years in prison for drug possession and assaulting two police officers last January.
Joshua T. Sobe, 20, of Lakewood, pleaded guilty in November as part of a deal with prosecutors. Two grand juries indicted him last January on to two counts of assaulting a police officer, one count of aggravated possession of drugs, one count of possession of cocaine and one count of escape.
Judge Alan Goldsberry sentenced him yesterday to four years and 11 months in prison. He might be released after 18 months if he behaves well in prison.
Prosecutors say Sobe resisted arrest in the early hours of Jan. 9 when Athens City Police officers stopped him for driving with no taillights and an expired registration.
Sobe had alcohol on his breath and told officers he had four drinks before he started driving. A blood alcohol test later showed Sobe had a blood alcohol level of 0.16, according to court documents.
Prosecutors say Sobe kicked officers and ran away. Officers eventually used a Taser to subdue him.
After they transported Sobe to the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, police found he had 0.6 grams of cocaine and 36 tablets of N-Benzylpiperazine, a controlled stimulant.
Aggravated possession of drugs and escape are third-degree felonies with maximum sentences of five years in prison. Assaulting a police officer is a fourth-degree felony with a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison. Possession of cocaine is a fifth-degree felony with a maximum sentence of one year in prison.
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Frank Thomas
