Advertisement

Drug arrests lead to treatment, public service

Share

A Ramona man who was one of five men arrested in a drug bust in December has been admitted into a residential drug treatment program while another skipped bail and didn’t show up for sentencing. A third man was arrested on a new case.

Mark Steven Curry, 23, was ordered to perform 10 days of public service work on terms of three years probation. El Cajon Superior Court Judge Charles Ervin suspended a one-year jail term and gave Curry credit for spending 24 days in jail on Feb. 11.

Curry pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale and was allowed to enter a residential drug treatment program in San Diego on Dec. 23. An official from the program wrote the judge and said Curry was making progress, according to court records.

Curry was fined $1,749, but he will not have to start making payments on the fine until Oct. 1. His probation terms also include a ban on alcohol for three years.

Dean Forrest Letzring, 21, of Ramona was to have been sentenced Feb. 24 after pleading guilty to possession of heroin for sale, but Letzring was arrested on a charge of receiving stolen property several weeks ago. His sentencing will trail his new case and may not be resolved until the new case is settled.

Letzring has pleaded not guilty to the new charges and awaits a preliminary hearing on March 10 in El Cajon Superior Court. He is in the downtown San Diego central jail on $117,500 bail.

Travis Jeffrey Blackmon, 19, of Ramona, failed to show up for sentencing on Feb. 24. A warrant for his arrest was ordered, but the judge delayed issuing it, as his attorney may be able to locate him without having him arrested.

Blackmon pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale on Jan. 9. While his maximum term could be four years in prison, Blackmon could also be placed on probation because of his age and other factors. Blackmon is free on $25,250 bond.

Donald Joseph Belling, 20, of Ramona, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin, but was allowed to enter an 18-month post conviction drug program. Kevin Phillips, 21, of Ramona, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a prescription medication. A judge allowed him to go into a drug treatment program on probation, and he was fined $150.

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 status of their cases could not be determined.

Advertisement

At a time when local news is more important than ever, support from our readers is essential. If you are able to, please support the Ramona Sentinel today.