Gary A. Lohr is sentenced for possession of meth and bail jumping
Updated
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A former longtime worker at Maple Lane juvenile detention facility for boys will appeal his drug conviction, saying the insignificant amount of methamphetamine and the jacket it was found in weren’t his.
Gary A. Lohr, 66, was fresh out of prison and getting back on his feet when Centralia police arrested him last December, his attorney told a judge yesterday.
Lohr has fought hard against his addiction, attorney Bryan Hershman said.
“He was born with whatever it is that makes people struggle with this curse, this plague of meth as he calls it,” Hershman said.
A Lewis County Superior Court jury last week found Lohr guilty of possession of methamphetamine and bail jumping. It’s his fourth drug conviction, Deputy Prosecutor Shane O’Rourke noted.
Lohr briefly addressed the judge when given the opportunity.
“Thank you for the court’s time,” he said. “I’m innocent and that’s all I can say.”
Hershman argued for the low end of the standard sentencing range, while the prosecutor argued for the high end.
Judge James Lawler chose the high end and sentenced Lohr yesterday morning to 29 months in prison.
His attorney filed a notice of appeal before Lohr was taken away.
Maple Lane was a state juvenile institution in Grand Mound that has since shut down.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I too was locked up in maple lane from 98-2002 and I personally had the privilege of working with Gary lohr. He is an amazing man and teacher. We all fall through bad times in our lives. He was always good spirited and willing to help and find a solution. I know that he can turn his life around. Be there for him. Don’t abandon him.i personally know it’s hard to get out and have no m support group. I hope to one day again see Gary.
I was committed to Maple Lane for 1 year from 99-00, I was 18-19 then, Gary Lohr worked in my unit. He was always kind to us, treated us all like people, and made an impact on a lot of kids and young mens’ lives – much more than some of the other staff. It is a shame this happened.
This is really sad. I hope he can get clean. I remember him being so big hearted with such generosity of spirit. Didn’t matter if you were a friend or a stranger; if you needed help he would do his best for you. I hope I get to see that Gary again someday.
Well as far as i see it, he is only hurting himself the law used to be common law and you had the freedom to harm yourself but not others, the drug courts are just another money making machine ie corporation run by criminals… so many families detroyed and help ha you better have good money for a real rehab center as they love return clients as it is government payments that we as tax payers pay! i know someone down my road that has probably been doing drugs for their whole life, but they don’t seem to cause any problems in the neighborhood so i just let it be, its their business.. I think the law should lock away meth heads that steal, hurt, or harm someone else, but if they are just doing the stuff and not doing any thing that hurts someone else so what… its all about the money..
It is a trifling shame. He can appeal this but under the circumstances that he and his lawyer have listed, he will still be in prison 29 months from now. The “small ammount” in the baggie only tells us and the court of appeals that it was at one time full. And the “Not my coat” defense has been beat up more than an Iraqi mule. Drug court works but unfortunately Gary does not qualify.
I don’t know Gary all that well, but I know his daughter. She is a really terrific young woman! Seeing her dad go through this has been very, very hard for her . . . and he is definitely not innocent. Regardless of what he claims in court. You think he would have learned the first time, and at his age, and having been a counselor. He was an upstanding family man at one time. Now he is an elderly tweaker who messes with girls that are younger than his own adult daughter. I’m telling you, if there is no hope for Gary, there is no hope for any of us!
You know they will!!! It’ll be no different than last time he was down.
At least the tweekers are only stealing from their own kind, instead of stealing from those of us who work hard to get what we got…
nice “Friends”…. NOT
I will miss you bish! I just hope your friends dont strip the wiring from your house again while you are gone….