Man on lam for years turns life around

A Jacksonville man on the lam in Arizona for nearly five years has been re-sentenced to jail for violating his probation on 2002 felony driving offenses.
Johnney Williams, 45, turned his life around in the years he was absent, according to court testimony at his sentencing hearing Tuesday in Morgan Circuit Court.
A warrant was issued for his arrest in April 2004 after he failed to appear at a hearing on a petition to revoke his probation on felony offenses of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving while his license was revoked.
The charges were filed as felonies because he previously was twice convicted for DUI and once for driving with a revoked license. He was accused of testing positive multiple times for cocaine use, failing to complete substance abuse treatment, and owing $1,317 in fines and fees.
Williams left the state and went to work for his brother’s company in Phoenix, according to his attorney, Michael A. Hankins.
“Things were not going well for him here employment-wise,” Hankins said. “He was still running in the same circles and still caught up in doing what he shouldn’t have been doing and he left without the court giving him its blessing.”
Williams ended up making the positive changes he should have made while on probation here, his attorney said.
“By getting involved in his brother’s company, he turned his life around, joined a church out there and he had very glowing letters from the pastor of that church as well as detectives in the Phoenix Police Department who are friends and go to church with him,” Hankins said.
When Williams returned to Jacksonville to care for his ailing mother, he found there was a warrant for his arrest and turned himself in January, Hankins said.
He admitted in June that he violated his probation and was re-sentenced Tuesday to 60 days in jail and placed on one year conditional discharge. He begins serving the jail sentence Friday.
State’s Attorney Chris Reif agreed Williams “changed his life around substantially from the life he was leading here at the time he received these charges and convictions.” He didn’t think Williams should go unpunished for being on the lam all those years, though.
“Even though sometimes people leave the state and get their lives back together, we can’t reward individuals who are told they can’t leave the state,” Reif said. “You have certain conditions to fulfill here. If you don’t, you’re going to face the consequences of your original sentence.”
Williams’ good conduct during that time helped him avoid prison time. The prosecutor recommended the 60-day jail term imposed by Judge Richard Mitchell.
“But for those changes, I am confident Mr. Williams would be on his way to the DOC for three years right now,” Hankins said.


Source