Wooster man gets prison for failure to appear at sentencing hearing

A Wooster man originally from Detroit was sent to prison after he failed to appear at his sentencing hearing on multiple drug trafficking charges.

James Michael Porter, 31, last known address of 531 Spink St., was sentenced to three years in prison Wednesday in Wayne County Common Pleas Court by Judge Corey Spitler.

Porter admitted to six charges of trafficking and possession of cocaine, heroin, oxycodone and marijuana Nov. 26, but failed to appear for his sentencing Jan. 7.

The charges stem from an investigation by the Medway Drug Enforcement Agency about drug buys made between October 2013 and January 2014. Porter was arrested during Medway's Operation Southern Migration drug sweep in May 2014.

A warrant was issued for his arrest when Porter failed to appear for sentencing. He was arrested in Detroit by the United States Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force April 17 and brought back to Wayne County for his new sentencing hearing.

"I realize the charges before me were wrong and the things I was doing are wrong," Porter said Wednesday, addressing the court.

His defense attorney, Andrew Hyde, added Porter missed his sentencing to attend to the birth of his child and has family members who are ill.

"He is upset with himself for another bad decision," Hyde said.

"You've pretty much burned your bridges," with the court, Spitler told him.

Spitler said when Porter could not be located and he reportedly told the U.S. Marshals "come find me," it told the judge something.

"It tells me this is all just a joke and a big game (to you)," Spitler said, before sentencing him to three years in prison. Porter was granted credit for 33 days served on this case.

By STEVEN F. HUSZAI, the-daily-record.com