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Man in heroin ring case gets treatment, suspended sentence
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Randy Cox now has his chance to get treatment for his heroin addiction after he was sentenced Monday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Cox, who was one of 37 people indicted as part of a ring of sellers and users of heroin last July, was given a three-year suspended prison sentence by Judge Shirley J. Christian after he pleaded guilty to five counts of possession of heroin and a count of attempted conspiracy to trafficking in heroin.
As part of his sentence, Cox, 35, of Austintown, must complete inpatient drug treatment at Community Corrections Association. If he does not, then he could be sent to prison.
The sentence was agreed on by defense attorney Jeffrey Limbian and Margaret Tomaro of the state attorney general’s office, which helped to prepare and prosecute the case.
Cox told the judge that he has never been to drug treatment and knows he needs it. He said he has not been on drugs since he was indicted last summer.
“This whole thing has kind of woke me up a little bit to realize it’s time for a change,” Cox said.
Cox said he has been able to stay focused on his family, including caring for his three children, and said he is staying away from the people with whom he used to use drugs.
Judge Christian told Cox treatment will only work is if he is ready for treatment. Tomaro said now is his chance to prove it.
“This is his chance to get clean,” Tomaro said. “If he does not prevail in treatment, then the state will be requesting prison.”
Tomaro said that Cox was a regular user of heroin who also took people with him to buy the drug.
“He was a daily user, and the trafficking charge is because he drove people with him to purchase heroin,” Tomaro said.
Of the 37 indicted in the case, 35 have been arraigned and their cases have been disposed. The remaining two have yet to be taken into custody.
About a dozen people were identified as sellers of the drug, and their cases were tailored to give them prison time. The remainder were considered users and their cases were tailored to get them treatment for their addictions, to dry up the supply of heroin and also to prevent other crimes from being committed to get money to buy heroin.