Cullen Hume was recently given another chance at probation and ordered to complete the Humboldt County Drug Court program after admitting to several violations at the beginning of his three-year probation period.
Hume was arrested for an attempted burglary charge in January 2018 and pleaded no contest to the charge in June.
At his original sentence, Hume stood before Judge Michael Montero and said he thought the drug court diversion program was not for him and that he thought he would be setting himself up for failure by asking for the diversion program. Instead, the 19-year old accepted the category B felony conviction and three years of probation. Hume told the judge he planned to move to Elko to get his life back on track.
Montero ordered a substance evaluation be completed by Hume, with Hume responsible for following through with the recommendations of the evaluation. Hume was incarcerated on another charge at the time of his sentence, so it was ordered for his probation to begin in mid-September after his release from the other charge.
Hume was arrested on Sept. 21 on three counts of burglary, possession of stolen property and violating probation terms. He recently appeared back in court for a probation violation hearing with an apparent change of heart about the drug court program.
“I ended up relapsing and went on the run. I have a little family of my own and surround myself with positive people,” said Hume.
Hume said he didn’t go to Elko because he lost employment when he was arrested and he wanted to try community services rather than the inpatient treatment that was recommended if he relocated to Elko.
“It was kind of an early failure that he got himself into here and he knows that he couldn't be in much more trouble than he is now. In hindsight he wished he would have asked for drug court,” said Maureen McQuillan, Hume's appointed legal counsel.
Deputy District Attorney Richard Haas pointed out that at Hume’s previous sentence, Montero had told Hume that he would be in drug court if he didn’t successfully complete requirements.
Montero ordered that Hume stay in jail until Nov. 5, after which time he would be released and reinstated back on probation to immediately begin participation in the Humboldt County Drug Court program.
If Hume does not successfully complete the requirements of his three-year probation period with the added 18-month drug court program, the court could order him to carry out the underlying 15-38 month prison sentence.
