11 years in prison for major drug offender
A Newark man will spend 11 years behind bars after admitting to having more than 400 grams of heroin, 400 grams of methamphetamine and more than 4,000 grams of marijuana.
Fritz J. Davis, 25, entered guilty pleas to nine counts against him before Judge David Branstool Wednesday morning. The case had originally been scheduled for trial Wednesday morning.
Assistant Licking County Prosecutor Brian Waltz said in July 2014, the Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Task Force initiated a drug buy using a confidential informant. Davis became a part of that buy and was found with more than 110 grams of methamphetamine on him, as well as a large amount of cash.
Waltz said search warrants were executed at Davis' homes on New Haven Avenue and Mallard Circle in Newark. During those searches, nearly 500 grams of heroin, more than 52 grams of cocaine, more than 4,660 grams of marijuana and more than 300 additional grams of methamphetamine were located.
Police also found multiple firearms, which Davis was not permitted to have because of a prior felony conviction for trafficking in cocaine.
At the Mallard Circle home, officers found multiple items that had recently been purchased with cash, including a television, sound bar and security system, Waltz said. More than $9,200 in cash was also located when the search warrants were executed.
Davis was arrested and posted a $250,000 bond. After he was indicted, a warrant was issued in November 2014 for his arrest for failing to report on pre-trial bond. He was arrested in Michigan in late March and has remained in jail since that time.
Because of the amount of drugs Davis possessed, he faced a mandatory 11-year prison sentence on two of the nine counts filed against him. In total, Davis could have faced a maximum sentence of 50 years behind bars.
Waltz said there is no requirement for the charges to have their sentences run consecutively and the 11-year prison sentence recommended to Branstool was fair.
"Based on the amount of drugs, the danger to the community, to himself and to the people around him, 11 years is appropriate," Waltz said.
Davis' attorney, Colin Peters, said the case has been a "long haul" but had reached the right resolution. Peters said Davis would reform himself in prison and emerge a man who is ready to be a law-abiding citizen.
Branstool adopted the joint recommendation, ordering Davis to serve 11 years in prison with credit for 241 days he has spent in jail so far. He also suspended a mandatory $42,500 fine because Davis would not be able to pay it in the foreseeable future.
Davis was also ordered to forfeit more than $9,200 in cash, a gold wrist watch, three firearms, a tent, security system, RCA sound bar, LG television and a safe as part of his sentence.
Because his sentence is mandatory, Davis will not be eligible for judicial release.
Published by newarkadvocate.com