Thomas Slate was recently ordered to complete the Humboldt County Drug Court program as a condition of his reinstated probation, after admitting to five probation violations in Sixth Judicial District Court.
Slate’s legal counsel, Public Defender Matthew Stermitz argued that although it may be easy for his client to just complete his 19-48 months in prison, that Slate desired to be reinstated to probation.
This wasn’t Slate’s first time in the courtroom, as he had three previous felonies with two prior probation sentences, along with a recent gross misdemeanor conviction in Elko county.
Slate was given 53 days credit for time served for the recent Elko county charge, which actually took away credit for time served he had earned in the Humboldt County Jail on the Humboldt County sentence, lessening the credit for time served he would receive if he were to go to prison on the probation violation charge. He would still receive credit for time served in jail of 80 days if he does go to prison.
Judge Michael Montero expressed some concern when considering the option of reinstating Slate’s probation, mentioning that he didn’t want it to be a waste of time as Slate would have to relocate from Imlay where he is currently residing with family and move to Winnemucca to be able to participate in the extensive drug court program requirements, including maintaining employment, paying for the program and proving to the courts that he’s going to change his life, or he will likely face prison.
Slate spoke to Judge Montero about his desire to obtain full time employment at one of the mining companies in the area or to have a mechanic business, although he said his last full-time job was at Taco Bell in California two years ago.
Slate admitted that he has used drugs as a crutch when a family member was having medical issues and said he made a bad judgment call.
Slate said he would rather be given a chance at the drug court program and be closer to his family, rather than facing prison, and that he’ll figure out where he is going to live if given the chance at the program.
Slate was originally sentenced to probation earlier this year in March, after pleading guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine, in which his request was granted to not be put on the drug court program at that time, claiming that drugs were not a problem for him.
Slate was ordered to begin participation in the drug court program immediately, as a condition of his reinstated probation.
“We’ll give it a shot, you seem like a decent gentleman,” said Montero.
