Ford
A suspected drug dealer from Miami County with a lengthy and violent criminal record wants to serve as his own attorney in Bartholomew Circuit Court.
Antoine D. Ford, 35, of Bunker Hill is charged with dealing in a narcotic drug as a Level 4 felony, possession of methamphetamine as a Level 6 felony, possession of marijuana as a Class B misdemeanor, and possession of paraphernalia as a Class C misdemeanor.
Ford made his first court appearance Friday via a video conference between the jail and Juvenile Magistrate Brittney Newland Long’s courtroom. While Long won’t be the presiding judge, she handled the matter because Bartholomew County initiated a “first appearance court” system for the first time this year. It allows judges and magistrates to rotate weekly on who will issue search warrants and hold initial hearings.
As the “first appearance court” judge, Long set a change of plea hearing before presiding Circuit Court judge Kelly Benjamin for 10:45 a.m. on Aug. 21, with a tentative trial date scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 19.
On Friday, the prosecutor’s office filed paperwork to request that Ford be declared a habitual offender, due to his lcriminal history. If convicted on all counts, the defendant could receive from three to 15 years in prison. But if a habitual offender declaration is made, it would likely place additional years on his sentence.
When the defendant informed Long he was waiving his right to council, a determination was made that Ford should be brought before Benjamin in her courtroom Monday to allow the presiding judge to address her concerns.
After Ford confirmed to Benjamin he wants to serve as his own attorney, the judge stepped outside the courtroom for a brief period and returned with a document for Ford that she says outlines what he is facing by acting as his own attorney.
It was also established Monday that Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kimberly Sexton-Yeager will handle the prosecution in Ford’s case.
On July 6, the Bartholomew County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET) requested Columbus Police to pull over a particular vehicle, CPD spokesman Lt. Matt Harris said. JNET was aware that Ford, who was being investigated locally as a suspected drug dealer, was a passenger. But before the vehicle was pulled over on Sawin Drive, east of Marr Road, witnesses saw the driver commit multiple traffic violations, Harris said.
After a Columbus police canine later alerted to the odor of narcotics in the vehicle, a search was conducted. Suspected methamphetamine, fentanyl, marijuana and drug paraphernalia were located in Ford’s possession. Of particular concern, a baggie containing 11 counterfeit Oxycodone 30MG pills packaged for sale, Harris said.
Some of the fake pills tested preemptively positive as fentanyl, Harris said. In fact, six out of 10 fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills contained a potentially fatal dose of fentanyl, he said.
After Ford claimed he had recently ingested narcotics, he was transported to Columbus Regional Hospital for treatment. While en route to the hospital, the defendant reportedly became unresponsive. Officers administered Narcan, which helped revive him a short time later, Harris said.
Ford was being held without bond in the Bartholomew County Jail.
