Michael Ford Sentenced To More Than 13 Years In Prison On Drug Charges

  • Friday, July 29, 2016
  • Jessica Kramer

Michael Shawn Ford has been sentenced to 13 and a half years in prison on drug charges.

On April 20, 2105, Ford was arrested at his house in East Ridge. Police found him hiding in the closet with a laundry bag which contained a loaded pistol and 7.9 grams of crystal meth.

Officers said that two backpacks were found in the same bedroom, one with 257.3 grams of crystal meth packaged in baggies, the other with mail addressed to the suspect.

The defendant appeared in Judge Travis McDonough’s courtroom with his attorney Leslie Cory for the hearing on Friday.

After listening to statements from Ford and his attorney concerning the defendant’s negotiated agreement with the state, Judge McDonough allowed a sentence below the low end of the advisory guideline range.

Attorney Cory said that the 10 months Ford has served while his sentence was pending is the longest amount of time he has ever spent in prison. She said previous convictions had mostly resulted in probation.

Prosecution agreed that in Ford’s case, 162 months would be a long enough sentence, “fair and just” under the circumstances.

“The state criminal justice system has simply failed,” the prosecutor said, referring to the repeated instances where the defendant received a suspended sentence.

Attorney Cory said it was very clear what circumstances in life led to her client’s criminal activity. She said he was addicted to alcohol and marijuana at a young age and suffers from mental health issues.

“He feels terrible about what he’s done to his family and the way he’s lived his life,” she said. “It’s like he’s wasted his whole life and just woke up to realize it.”

When given the opportunity to speak, Ford apologized to the court for his choices.

“I’ve had a lot of time to think of what I’ve done,” he said. “I won’t ever be able to forgive myself for what I’ve done.”

Unable to go on, his attorney read the remainder of his statement, much of it addressed to an 80-year-old grandmother he feared he would never see again.

Sobbing, Ford turned to his family present at the hearing, and told them he loved them.

Judge McDonough sentenced the defendant to 162 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He said he appreciated the contrition Ford had shown and urged him to make the best of the help he would be provided while serving his time.

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