HUTCHINSON, Kan. – A local woman was sentenced to three years and six months in prison on one case while being granted community corrections for three years in three others.
Judge Tim Chambers granted Jennifer Ramsey a departure in sentencing by granting less time in prison. The case goes back on Sept. 10, 20-14 after the Reno County Drug Unit served a search warrant at a home where her and Bryan Butler lived and found a black Nike bag that contained a large plastic bag of a crystal substance that field tested positive for meth, about 345 grams worth.
Judge Tim Chambers sentenced Ramsey to over 13-years in prison, but then granted the corrections in an earlier case which goes back to May 27. That’s when Ramsey and Butler were charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute and no tax stamp. Ramsey was also charged with possession of marijuana and personal use drug paraphernalia.
Judge Tim Chambers noted the had they gotten the other two cases from 2013 in a preliminary hearing sooner, they maybe could have intervened before the two more serious cases happened. He says it took more then a year for those cases to get to the preliminary hearing stages. In one she was convicted of two counts of making false writing for the forging of two payroll checks and the other case was a charge of possession of methamphetamine. Both would have been presumptive probation cases. But, while on bond in those cases, the two drug distribution cases occurred.
He ordered some prison time, but not as much as she could have received. Once released from prison, she will be on corrections for three years, but if she then violates the corrections, she could be looking at an extensive period in prison.
She told the court that he downward spiral started after her boyfriend committed suicide.