Area man sentenced on 2 meth possession charges

An area man already serving prison time for a drug case in Fayette County was sentenced this week in connection with two unrelated meth possession cases in Highland County.

As previously reported, Steven Pope, 45, was indicted in March and in June on one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony. Pope has had addresses listed in London (the correctional facility), Sabina and Leesburg on various court sites.

Pope’s March indictment in Highland County alleged that on or about Oct. 5, 2022, during a traffic stop in Greenfield, Pope had meth inside the pocket of his jacket. The June indictment alleged that on or about Nov. 7, Pope also “did knowingly obtain, possess or use” meth in Highland County.

Pope previously pleaded guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, in Fayette County Common Pleas Court in November 2022. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison, with jail time credit of 17 days, according to court records.

On June 14, Pope pleaded guilty to both meth possession charges in Highland County. He was sentenced by Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss to a definite determinate term of six months on each count, for a total of one year in prison. He had jail time credit of one day.

The one-year term is to run consecutive to the 10-month prison sentence from Fayette County. Pope has been incarcerated in the Madison Correctional Institution since Dec. 2, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.