Greenfield man gets 4 years in meth possession, tampering with evidence case
A Greenfield man was sentenced to four years in prison this week after pleading guilty to drug possession and tampering with evidence charges.
As previously reported, Justin Brooks, 34, of Greenfield was indicted in October and charged with one count each of aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine, aggravated possession of methamphetamine and tampering with evidence, all third-degree felonies; and a forfeiture specification.
According to court records, Brooks pleaded guilty Jan. 8 to the aggravated possession of meth and tampering with evidence charges and the forfeiture specification, with the drug trafficking charge dismissed.
A bill of particulars says that in August 2024, Brooks was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a traffic stop. While law enforcement and a K9 began searching the vehicle, it is alleged that Brooks “appeared to [be] … attempting to destroy evidence” as he “began stomping and shoving his foot back and forth on the floorboard.
“Officers observed what appeared to be a substantial amount of methamphetamine on the passenger floorboard, along with several small plastic [bags],” the bill of particulars alleges. “It was also apparent that Brooks had attempted to destroy the suspected methamphetamine by smashing it into the floorboard.”
According to the bill of particulars, the drugs were tested by BCI and determined to contain 12.88 grams of meth.
A 1991 Ford Ranger and $94 were determined subject to forfeiture due to their alleged “instrumentality in the commission or facilitation of the offense,” the indictment said.
At a hearing Feb. 5, Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss sentenced Brooks to 24 months on each count, to run consecutively, for a total of 48 months in prison. Brooks had 25 days of jail time credit.
The $94 was forfeited to the Greenfield Police Department, while the vehicle was ordered forfeited to the Village of Greenfield.
Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 25 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.