A young man, not yet out of his teens, stands convicted of a felony after his appearance April 3 in Sixth Judicial District Court for probation violation. Larry Littrell was described as a good person whose problems are all connected to drug addiction.
Littrell pleaded guilty to felony drug use last April. At that time, court proceedings against Littrell were suspended. His sentencing was deferred and he was given the opportunity to successfully complete Drug Court. If he had done so, he would have been able to return to court and withdraw his guilty plea. The felony conviction would never have happened.
However, Littrell was back in court just short of a year later, after being removed from Drug Court for scores of violations over the past 11 months. District Judge Michael Montero said Littrell’s file showed “something like 62 missed or positive drug tests.”
The judge pointed out that, of the 330 days Littrell has participated in Adult Drug Court, nearly half of that time, 156 days, he was in jail for Drug Court sanctions.
Montero also noted that Littrell transitioned straight from Juvenile Drug Court to Adult Drug Court, after being on juvenile probation for about a year. “It’s hard to imagine how you fit all of this into your young life,” the judge commented.
The efforts made by the Drug Court team included the sanctions that put Littrell in jail for periods of time, in-patient treatment and house arrest.
“I don’t know what more we could have tried,” Montero said. “It’s hard to see a young man, at 19, be convicted of a felony for a disease. I think it’s a pretty significant punishment you’re going to sustain today — a felony conviction — but what else do we do?”
When it was his turn to address the judge, Littrell said that although he was not successful in drug court, he did think he had learned some things. He said he did not want to go to prison, that he had housing and a job lined up and wanted to have mental health and substance abuse counseling. “I do want help; I want to address my addiction.”
He will have the opportunity to do that. Judge Montero sentenced Littrell to “time served,” meaning he will be released from custody and will not continue to be on probation.
“I hope you can overcome this,” said Montero, speaking of Littrell’s drug addiction. “If not, I will see you back [in court],” the judge added. “You’ll be given the opportunity, once in your young life to be free of supervision; I hope you make it.”
After Littrell’s hearing was over, the judge made sure Littrell knew the new location of the Family Support Center, where he can get help.
