A man who pleaded guilty to theft and drug trafficking in separate criminal cases was sent to prison last week.
Derek J. Blubaugh, 21, of Marysville, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to trafficking in lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) with a specification for forfeiture of property and theft in August.
Blubaugh was indicted in July on the drug trafficking offense following an investigation by the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division that started on June 19.
Investigators established surveillance on Blubaugh over an eight-day period during which he allegedly sold strips of LSD on two occasions. These transactions occurred at the North Lewisburg Community Park near juveniles.
During the investigation, Blubaugh was observed riding a bicycle to the park and wearing a curly wig. He was arrested on June 26.
This conduct occurred after Blubaugh was already indicted for theft and receiving stolen property due to an April 16 incident.
A notice of bond violation filed by Champaign County Assistant Wesley Somogy on June 29 alleged two bond violations against Blubaugh including having contact with his co-defendant in the theft case and being indicted in Union County for theft, petty theft, tampering with records and aggravated menacing in June.
Deputies reported seeing Blubaugh in a vehicle driven by co-defendant Rachel Miller on June 21.
Miller, 36, of 701 Mill St., North Lewisburg, was also indicted in June for theft, receiving stolen property and falsification. The falsification charge stems from April 28 when Miller allegedly falsely reported that a television set she had been renting from Showplace had been stolen from her residence when she knew she and Blubaugh had pawned the set without knowledge or consent of the property owner.
Miller pleaded guilty to theft and falsification on Aug. 27 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9.
Upon his release, Blubaugh is subject to post release control for up to three years.
Motorcyclist placed on community control
In a separate case, a St. Paris man who fled law enforcement during high-speed chase is prohibited from operating a motorcycle during a period of community control.
Tye W. Spellman, 23, of 3000 St. Paris-Jackson Road, was placed on community control for a period of two years Friday. Spellman pleaded guilty in July to failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer for a May 24 incident in which he fled from a St. Paris police officer.
After the officer stopped chasing him, Spellman was found when he crashed a motorcycle into a field and sustained several injuries.
As part of community control, Spellman was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service by Feb. 14, 2016, ordered to write a letter of apology to the police officer involved in the chase, observe a court imposed curfew between Sept. 24 and Dec. 24, and may not operate a motorcycle.
He was also fined $2,000.
Spellman is also subject to a driver’s license suspension for three years. Spellman asked for limited driving privileges. An official motion for limited driving privileges must be filed before the court would consider granting the request.
If community control is revoked, Spellman faces a two-year prison sentence.
