MOUNT VERNON — Two women pleaded guilty on Friday and another was sentenced in criminal cases involving Jason Blubaugh, a confidential informant for the Mount Vernon Police Department.
Jody L. Punches, 21, Mount Vernon, was sentenced to three years of community control for one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs, a fourth-degree felony. Punches admitted in court that she sold Oxycontin pills to Blubaugh.
In the case of Punches, the police gave Blubaugh $500 to buy 10 80 mg Oxycontin pills. Police records show Blubaugh handed over seven 40 mg tablets to police. In a detective’s report, Blubaugh stated Punches kept three so she and two friends could get high.
Judge Otho Eyster also ordered Punches to serve a six-month driver’s license suspension, undergo an outpatient drug and alcohol assessment, and maintain full-time employment. Any violation of her probation could land her 17 months in prison, according to Eyster.
Joy L. Swope, 43, Mount Vernon, pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in marijuana, a fifth-degree felony. Swope admitted in court to selling marijuana to Blubaugh. A second charge of aggravated trafficking of drugs was dismissed.
According to police records, the dismissed aggravated trafficking charge stems from an incident on May 29, 2007. Police records show Blubaugh was sent to buy 20 Methadone pills. Blubaugh handed 15 pills to the police.
On the marijuana charge, police records show Blubaugh was sent to buy two ounces of marijuana for $440. According to a lab report, Blubaugh handed over 1.78 ounces of marijuana. A detective’s report states that Blubaugh was fitted with a hidden wire when he went to make the drug purchase. The report states the battery wire on the hidden wire transmitter broke, and part of the drug buy transaction was not recorded.
Eyster ordered a presentence investigation on Friday; Swope is scheduled to be sentenced on Mar. 7 at 9 a.m. The prosecution stated it had no objection to a community control sentence, and recommended Swope pay $440 in restitution to the police department and serve a six-month driver’s license suspension. The maximum penalty for a charge of trafficking in marijuana is 12 months in prison and a fine of up to $2,500.
In the third case on Friday, Trudy N. McFadden, 35, Fredericktown, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs, a fourth-degree felony. In this case, Blubaugh was sent by police to buy six 80 mg Oxycontin pills; he handed four over to police. According to police records, Blubaugh said he let McFadden keep two pills for herself.
Eyster ordered a presentence investigation, and McFadden is due back in court Feb. 29 for sentencing. Although prosecutors said they did not oppose a community control sentence, McFadden could face up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.