Five plead guilty in drug bust

Five Ramona adults who were arrested in a drug bust by sheriff’s deputies in early December have pleaded guilty. Three are awaiting sentencing, while two have been permitted to enter drug programs.

Mark Steven Curry, 23, has pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale and will be sentenced on Feb. 11 in El Cajon Superior Court. He was allowed to enter a residential drug treatment center and faces up to one year in jail, according to court records.

Dean Forrest Letzring, 21, and Travis Jeffrey Blackmon, 19, have both pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale. They will be sentenced on Feb. 24 in El Cajon Superior Court. Letzring and Blackmon face up to one year and four years, respectively, in custody, court records say.

Donald Joseph Belling, 20, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin, but was allowed to enter an 18-month post conviction drug program. Belling must show proof of enrollment to a judge on Feb. 13 and his participation in the program will be reviewed by a judge in 2010.

Kevin Phillips, 21, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a prescription medication without the required prescription. A judge allowed him to go into a drug treatment program on terms of probation, and he was fined $150. The only other count that Phillips faced was possession of metal knuckles and that was dismissed, according to court records.

On Dec. 8 and 9, the sheriff’s Street Narcotics Team seized 66 grams of heroin, 3 grams of cocaine, Ecstasy pills, and prescription medications OxyCodine, Percocet and Vicodin. They also arrested two juveniles, but, because of their ages, the status of their cases could not be determined.

Curry, Belling and Phillips remain free with their respective programs. Letzring and Blackmon remain free on, respectively, $20,000 and $25,250 bond.