Beadle County Drug Court Sees First Offender Failure

The Beadle County Drug Court has been in operation since July1st. This week it saw the ramifications of it’s first offender failure. Anthony Stahl’s attorney David Wheeler asked Circuit Court Judge Jon Erickson to not impose the full five-year prison term Stahl could have gotten, had he not selected to take part in Beadle County’s Drug Court. Wheeler says that while Stahl may have struggled in the two months he was a part of the program, his client stayed away from marijuana but continued to have an issue with opiate dependance. Beadle County Deputy States Attorney Dan Nelson told the court Stahl was a felon, who was given a second change and he did every but take that chance. Nelson says Stahl was among other things, dishonest with Drug Court staff and failed to take responsibility for what he had done. Nelson says the decision to remove Stahl from the program was nearly unanimous. Erickson, sentenced Stahl to the full five year sentence. He was given credit for 45 days served in the Beadle County Jail.