Soehren offers plea agreement in meth case

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A presentence investigation for a woman turned in by a babysitter for allegedly having drugs in her home is the next step a judge ordered Tuesday.

Chelsey Soehren, facing five drug-related charges, is accused of delivering 1 gram of methamphetamine, along with possessing and intending to deliver 3 grams of meth. Soehren is also charged with possessing meth paraphernalia, marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia in Stark County in July.

If Judge H. Patrick Weir accepts a plea agreement offered by Soehren, she will plead guilty to possession of meth paraphernalia and the other four charges will be dismissed. The agreement would give her a deferred sentence and she would be on supervised probation for three years.

Jay Greenwood, Soehren’s attorney, said she is willing to accept responsibility for that paraphernalia charge.

“She is taking steps to better herself through treatment without being ordered to do so through the court, so I think this is fair,” Greenwood said.

Jim Hope, Stark County assistant state’s attorney, said Soehren has a criminal record, but thought a deferred sentence was appropriate.

At a September hearing, an investigator said Social Services alerted authorities that there was allegedly a 17-year-old babysitter in Soehren’s home while drug paraphernalia was present. The babysitter was reportedly watching two children at the time.

The babysitter reportedly directed officers to several pieces of drug paraphernalia inside and outside the residence.

Officers reportedly had search warrants for Soehren’s residence, her vehicle and a warrant to search Soehren, authorities said at the September hearing.

Officers reportedly went to Soehren’s work, where they searched her and her purse. About 2.1 grams of methamphetamine were allegedly found in Soehren’s purse.

Greenwood filed a motion to suppress evidence obtained through those police searches.

After the hearing, Greenwood said he did not believe police conducted their searches of Soehren’s property properly. He does not think the evidence that came from those searches should be admissible in court.

“I made a motion to suppress based on the legality of the searches of her house and of her person and of her employment,” Greenwood said.

Hope said the plea agreement is fair.

“I think given the uncertainties of the legal results of the motions, I think the result is fair to the state,” Hope said. “It’s a compromise.”

As part of the presentence investigation, Weir would like to see progress made by Soehren in a drug treatment program.

“I’m happy to see that she is taking treatment, but the expectation is that she learns something from it,” Weir said.

If Weir accepts the agreement, a sentencing will be scheduled.

Tags: news, local, soehren, meth, stark