5 years, 2 months ago by Scott Hardy
Joshua Thomas to enter 120-day shock incarceration program
A Bethel man has avoided a lengthy prison sentence on drug and weapons counts from an early February 2018 incident, as part of a settlement with prosecutors.
Joshua Thomas was in Marion County Circuit Court in Palmyra Monday, where he pleaded Guilty to five counts, including two counts each of drug delivery and unlawful possession of a firearm and one count of child endangerment. In return, three counts, including meth trafficking and two other endangerment counts were dropped. Thomas admitted to having over 90 grams of both meth and marijuana in his vehicle, along with two handguns one of his three children, when he was stopped on Missouri 6 in February 2018. After the plea, Thomas was sentenced to 35 years in prison, but that's been put on hold. He'll first take part in the state's 120-day shock incarceration program. If Thomas completes the program and is found to have complied, he'll then be put on five years' probation. If he doesn't, or if he commits another crime while on probation, Thomas could then serve the 35-year sentence.
Thomas could have been sentenced to up to 80 years in prison if he'd have been convicted on all charges.
