Two sentenced on drug charges in connection with Wilson

A 25-year-old man was sentenced to four years in prison and an 18-year-old woman was placed on community control sanctions for drug crimes connected to Jeremy Wilson, who also is serving a prison sentence for selling drugs to confidential informants last fall.

Cory R. Christian and Temera L. Liff appeared Monday morning in front of Judge Mark Fleegle for sentencing hearings about a month after both entered guilty pleas to their charges. Prosecutors say that Christian supplied heroin to Wilson and that Liff provided transportation while Wilson sold the drugs to agents last fall.

Wilson, 37, has already been sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the drug trafficking.

Undercover agents with the Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Task Force bought heroin from Wilson on Oct. 14, Oct. 20, and Nov. 3, Assistant County Prosecutor John Litle has said in court during Wilson's hearings.

He was then arrested on the same day as Christian, who investigators say supplied Wilson with heroin, which he then sold in Muskingum and Perry counties. Their arrests were part of an investigation between the Muskingum County Sheriff's Office, the Zanesville Police Department and the CODE Task Force.

The last undercover buy on Nov. 3 led authorities to identify Christian as Wilson's supplier, Litle has said.

Undercover agents tailed Wilson after giving him drug money, where they observed him meeting with Christian in his Jeep. Wilson then provided agents with the drugs after the meeting, Litle previously said.

Once officers pulled Christian over on Linden Avenue, police searched his vehicle and reported discovering three loaded guns he had hidden underneath the front seat, heroin and prescription pills, and the drug-buy money agents had given to Wilson earlier.

Prosecutors say Liff provided transportation to Wilson on Oct. 14 to a meeting with undercover agents working with CODE. Her small child was in the car as the transaction was completed, Litle has said.

Fleegle sentenced Christian to four years in prison at the request of the state and defense. Three of those years are for his guilty plea to possession of oxycodone, a fifth-degree felony; possession of heroin, a fourth-degree felony; carrying a loaded concealed weapon, a fourth-degree felony; three counts of improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle, fourth-degree felonies; and three additional weapons possession charges, third-degree felonies. The two possession charges include firearm specifications, which added an additional year to his prison sentence.

The state dropped a heroin trafficking charge, a third-degree felony, based on the difficulty of proving it in court, Litle said. One count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony, also was dismissed.

Christian, who was credited with 119 days of jail time served, must forfeit three guns to the state. Three years of post-release control are optional for Christian, who also was ordered to pay court costs.

"God is good all the time," Christian said when he addressed the court.

Liff, who was credited with 24 days of time served, was placed on two years of community control sanctions after pleading guilty in January to permitting drug abuse, a fifth-degree felony. Prosecutors dismissed another count of trafficking in heroin, a third-degree felony, in exchange for her plea.

Fleegle ordered that Liff be assessed by Muskingum Behavioral Health and Six County Inc. and complete 50 hours of community service. She must pay court costs within six months.

She could face 10 months in prison if she fails to follow the guidelines, Fleegle said.

elagatta@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com

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