Ex-jail officer pleads innocent

Photo

Sarah L. Graham

Staff report

WARREN

Sarah L. Graham, a corrections officer at the Trumbull County jail who was fired Wednesday, has pleaded innocent to 12 counts of deception to obtain a dangerous drug.

She appeared with her attorney, Gary Rich, in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court on Thursday for arraignment before Judge John M. Stuard.

Though she was scheduled to be arraigned next Thursday before Judge Andrew Logan with the rest of the people indicted Wednesday, Judge Stuard agreed to arraign her Thursday.

Rich was there representing another defendant and asked Judge Stuard just after the pretrial for that client whether Judge Stuard also would handle Graham’s arraignment.

Judge Stuard accepted her innocent plea and set Graham’s bond at $2,500, though she may be eligible for pretrial release once she is interviewed by the Trumbull County Adult Probation Department, Judge Stuard said.

Pretrial release requires only a signature, not payment of any money.

She returns to court Nov. 17 for her first pretrial before Judge W. Wyatt McKay, who is presiding over her case.

Graham was fired Wednesday as a result of the indictment, which stemmed from an investigation by a Mahoning County agent of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

No information was available from either the Youngstown office of the DEA or the Trumbull County prosecutor’s office regarding the specifics of Graham’s reported offenses.

Chief Deputy Don Guarino of the sheriff’s office, however, said her alleged offenses did not relate to her work.

Her indictment says she deceptively obtained the drug Tramadol 12 times between July 2009 and August 2010. Tramadol is used to relieve moderate to moderately severe pain.

Graham, of Howland, worked as a corrections officer since June 2006. She also served as a program coordinator.

If convicted, she faces up to 12 years in prison.