Rep. Sedrick Denson (D-Bond Hill) pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor drug possession charge and thereby avoided a felony conviction that would have prevented him from serving as a state representative.
As The Ohio Star reported, Denson was pulled over in the early morning hours March 29 and charged with driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license, and felony drug possession. The felony drug possession charge stemmed from a single Adderall pill that the Ohio Highway Patrol discovered in Denson’s vehicle.
On April 4, Denson pleaded guilty to having physical control of a vehicle while under the influence, a lesser charge than the OVI he initially faced. Under a plea agreement, the charges of driving on a suspended license and driving outside of marked lanes were dropped.
He was ordered to complete a driver’s intervention program, pay a $250 fine, and had his license suspended for 180 days.
On Monday, the felony drug conviction was dismissed after Denson pleaded guilty to a first-degree misdemeanor counterfeit controlled substance possession charge, The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Denson agreed to complete a drug education program while court costs and fees as well as a year of probation were dismissed. Had he been charged with a felony, Denson would have been prohibited from continuing to serve in elected office.
“I want to take a moment to give a quick message to my constituents, supporters, friends and family. The past few weeks have been a difficult time for me. But it is all behind me now and will not define me in any way,” Denson said in a statement posted to Facebook Monday. “I will now be an even better representative to you and redouble my efforts to work hard for you.”
He went on to thank his supporters for “every prayer, call, text and words of encouragement.”
“They have helped to strengthen me and keep me focused on what God has put me in office to do,” he continued. “There is work to be done and that work will continue. I love you all and I look forward to seeing you around.”
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Sedrick Denson” by Colombus Dispatch.
