A former Athens County 911 dispatcher who was charged with using a weapon while intoxicated took a plea agreement in Athens County Municipal Court Friday.
Former dispatcher Warren Ferguson, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of improper transportation of a weapon as part of a plea agreement with Chief Assistant Athens County Prosecutor Robert Driscoll.
The charge was lowered because there was no evidence that Ferguson was using or carrying his weapon when arrested, said George McCarthy, Ferguson's lawyer.
Ferguson originally was charged Sept. 8 with using a weapon while intoxicated, a first-degree misdemeanor. Athens County Sheriff Deputy Jim Childs found Ferguson in his vehicle parked against the fence at the Albany Fairgrounds. Ferguson smelled of alcohol and was slurring his speech, according to court documents.
Childs told Ferguson to leave his car and then asked if he had a firearm. Ferguson replied that there was one under the armrest. Childs found a loaded Smith & Wesson .40-caliber gun with two extra magazines, according to court documents.
As part of the agreement, Ferguson was sentenced to 30 days in jail and to a fine of $250. The jail time is suspended as long as Ferguson is a law-abiding citizen for two years and completes alcohol evaluation and counseling in those two years.
Ferguson resigned from his dispatcher job eight days after his arrest, stating in a letter of resignation that it was time he left the position, said Director of Athens County 911 Leonard Bentley in a previous Post story.
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Marika Lee
