By Colin McEwen
Record-Courier staff writer
A Maple Heights man, who pleaded guilty to trafficking crack cocaine through a blanket at the entrance of a Windham apartment, is off to prison after his probabtion was revoked earlier this month.
After pleading guilty in December to trafficking and possession of crack cocaine, William Coleman, 25, was given the opportunity to attend a drug treatment center, but he was removed from the program for non-cooperation in March.
Portage County Common Pleas Judge Laurie Pittman recently ruled that Coleman will serve 10 months for each of the two fourth-degree felony charges.
Coleman was among three arrested in the 2008 drug bust in Windham.
While searching two apartments in the Oak Court area, officers found a substantial amount of crack cocaine, cocaine, suspected ecstasy and a number of unknown prescription drugs — all with an estimated street value of $5,000.
At one of the apartments, a blanket with two holes cut for dispensing the drugs — one for the money and the other for the product — was draped between the kitchen door and the kitchen counter with three signs taped to it. One stated, “pay here,” another sign stated “no talking” and a third sign read “Party Hard, Catch.”
Coleman pleaded guilty to possession and trafficking of 2.9 grams of crack cocaine police found in his posession.
Portage County Prosecutor Vic Vigluicci said Coleman was given the chance to avoid prison.
“He was given the opportunity to attend (NorthEast Ohio Community Alternative Program), and was terminated for not cooperating with the program,” Vigluicci said.
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