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Judge sentences man for delivering deadly drugs

Circuit Judge Debra McLaughlin handed down sentences and accepted pleas in a variety of felony and misdemeanor cases in Morgan County Circuit Court in recent months.

Judge McLaughlin sentenced a man found guilty in a January jury trial of delivering a controlled substance that caused the death of a local man in 2021. Joshua L. Fink, 31, of Berkeley Springs was convicted of the crime following a two-day trial in January. On March 7, Judge McLaughlin sentenced him to 15 years in prison for the felony offense.

In other cases, Judge McLaughlin sentenced Antonio V. Feliciano, 51, was to 10-25 years in prison for failure to update sex offender registry, 2nd offense.  He was convicted of the felony crime in March 2023.

John R. Richards, 53, of Berkeley Springs was sentenced to one year in the Eastern Regional Jail after pleading guilty to DUI, second offense, a misdemeanor. Richards was also sentenced to six months in jail after pleading guilty driving on a license that had been revoked for DUI. Richards will serve the sentence under home confinement in Berkeley County, will participate in that county’s Day Report Center and undergo alcohol monitoring.

Bond was revoked for Brandee S. Youngblood, 44, of Berkeley Springs during a recent case hearing. Youngblood was in court to plead guilty to driving on a license that was revoked for DUI, third offense. County Prosecutor Dan James requested Youngblood undergo a drug test before the hearing continued. Court officials found she tested positive for fentanyl and methadone. The court revoked her bond and put her in custody of the Eastern Regional Jail until an April case hearing.

A plea and sentencing hearing for Paul D. Keddington, 61, of Green Spring for DUI and drug charges was rescheduled as a criminal trial after Keddington failed a court-requested drug screen at his February hearing. During the hearing, Keddington tested positive for fentanyl and alcohol, a violation of his bond. Court officials revoked his bond, withdrew a plea offer and returned him to jail to await an April 17 criminal trial.

Brady A. Twigg, 31, of Cumberland was sentenced to six months in the Eastern Regional Jail on drug charges stemming from a 2021 case of heroin possession and dealing. Jail time was suspended for one year of supervised probation.

Judge McLaughlin approved a pre-trial diversion for Natasha L. Crouse, 26, of Berkeley Springs for her role in a fraudulent scheme to sell a mobile home that wasn’t hers. Crouse will have an opportunity to serve 12 months of supervised probation and have the indictment against her dismissed, if she is successful. The judge approved the same alternative sentence for Richard D. Smith, 23, of Berkeley Springs, who was involved in the scheme as well.

Shaquille D. Jackson, 28, of Glen Burnie, Md. pled guilty to possession of fentanyl with the intent to deliver the drug. He was sentenced to 1-15 years in prison for the charge. His prison sentence was suspended for three years supervised probation and 120 days served at the Eastern Regional Jail.

Stuart R. Holloway, 38, of Berkeley Springs was sentenced to 1-5 years in prison after his conviction for strangulation.

Anna M. Haslup, 46, of Dundalk, Md. was sentenced to three years in prison for her role in conspiring with Brian Wilkinson to deliver methamphetamine in January 2023. Haslup pled guilty to the charge. Haslup’s prison time was suspended for three years supervised probation.

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