KINGWOOD — A Tunnelton man was placed on probation this week for selling drugs from his car while his grandchild was in the car.
Kenneth Wakefield Sr., 60, was sentenced to one to five years in prison and six months in jail on charges of delivery of a controlled substance and misdemeanor child neglect with substantial risk of injury. He was indicted in October 2017 on the charges.
Judge Lawrance Miller Jr. told Wakefield Tuesday that he was suspending the sentence and placing him on three years supervised probation.
“I’m doing this because probation recommended it, your health, and the fact you have no previous felonies and your grandchildren no longer live with you,” Miller said.
According to the criminal complaint, Wakefield sold two Percocet pills to someone at the intersection of W.Va. 92 and U.S. 50 in August 2017. The child saw the transaction, police said.
Wakefield appeared before Miller on Jan. 17 and pleaded no contest to the charges. A no contest plea concedes the charges without admitting guilt and without offering a defense. The plea was part of a plea agreement.
Wakefield’s attorney, Clair Niehaus, said her client’s current health situation is extensive and could be better cared for if he was on probation, versus prison.
