By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The 22-year-old Adna man who dodged a real bullet less than two months ago got a deal from prosecutors in his drug cases that subsequently arose, but will be going away for awhile.
Phillip A. Pinotti was initially charged with first-degree assault for allegedly trying to run down a security officer who chased him out of a Centralia courtroom and down to the next block where he was parked. The officer, who had been trying to take him into custody for a misdemeanor warrant, said he fired his gun once because he thought the escapee was trying to hit him.
Phillip A. Pinotti, file photo
Investigations and evaluations by the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, the county prosecutor, an internal review board and the Centralia police chief since the events of Dec. 16 led to a very different understanding of what occurred.
Prosecutors concluded Pinotti wasn’t attempting to harm Centralia Municipal Court Security Officer Stephen Howard, so instead of an offense with a maximum penalty of life in prison, Pinotti was allowed to plead guilty to three misdemeanors and was sentenced to time served.
Howard resigned after the police chief released a report criticizing him for his actions and decision making.
But in the midst of the various reviews, and while Pinotti was out on bail, he was arrested and charged with drug crimes, one new and one from last summer.
Pinotti pleaded guilty to two felonies, both involving heroin, and he appeared before a judge yesterday to be sentenced in Lewis County Superior Court.
He faced a standard sentencing range for delivery of heroin of 12 to 20 months in prison.
Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher and defense attorney Don Blair both agreed to recommend to the judge that Pinotti serve 12 months and one day.
Blair told Judge Nelson Hunt his client didn’t dispute he delivered heroin, that he was a drug addict and hopefully will remain drug free.
“When he gets out, he can start getting cleaned up,” Blair said.
When asked by the judge if he wanted to make a statement on his own behalf beyond what his lawyer had shared: “No thank you, your honor,” Pinotti said. “I have nothing to add.”
Meager asked that he be given four months to be served concurrently for possession of heroin from last August.
Judge Hunt agreed with all of it, including numerous fees and court costs as well as one year of supervision after he is released.
Also yesterday morning, Zachary J. Maurer pleaded guilty in connection with the August incident.
Police had the two of them under surveillance as they went to Longview to allegedly purchase heroin and subsequently impounded their vehicle finding drugs, according to court documents.
Like Pinotti, Maurer’s charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver was lowered to a charge of possession of heroin.
Meagher said the plea deal came about in part because they couldn’t get either one to testify against the other and also because police preferred they didn’t pursue it to protect the identity of an informant.
Maurer, 25, was given a middle of the range of sentence of 18 months. Meagher said it was longer than Pinotti’s for the same offense, because Maurer had some previous convictions on his record.
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For background, read “Centralia court security officer who fired upon escapee quits job” from Tuesday February 10, 2015, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I agree Sunshinegirl!!
It’s the same difference between medicinal caffeine and recreational caffeine.
I still say that cop at the court house should have had better aim.
Just curious-what’s difference between medical cannabis and regular cannabis? Don’t they have the same effect?
sicofit…….I agree with you, and the holier than thou opposition, pssssh….they are still there because they like being in bed with the good ole boys.
“I doubt your from here based on your ideology”………so, one must be a seed from the Lewis County gene pool to have an opinion? That ignorance, is why your village is the cesspool that it is~
sicofit Any time law enforcement (or other authority) has the right to “seize” assets, they will. That part of the law needs to be changed. The most egregious cases should be blasted in the media so that each of us can see that ANY of us can be accused and have assets taken. We are each one vulnerable to authority that is unchecked.
@ sico… hope those sour grapes taste really good. you seem to forget that the “good ol boys” are the ones who have made this country. just from the way your attitude about life comes across from your post i would have to guess that you are just another low life piece of crap that wants everything your way…. like you’ve been told, if you don’t like it…move. king county is always looking for people like you.
Sicofit……… If you don’t like Lewis County, leave. I doubt you are from here based on your ideology.
Thats great, if you grow medical cannabis in complete compliance with state law they come in and take everything of value that you own then they offer you a year and a day, just like this criminal heroin junkie, and when you say no way am I taking your deal because I’m not a criminal and I want my stuff back, they put you on trial and drag you through the dirt with scumbags, child molesters, theives, junkies and methheads. When you win your case and are aquitted by a jury of your peers, well guess what, you still dont get your belongings back. Lewis county is about as corrupt as it can be and it is in your face, never gonna change cause the good ol boy retards are runnin the show and in a year or so this junkie will be right back here doin the same thing but doing it better.
Dumb and Dumber
Thelma and Louise