Dickinson man sentenced to jail time for breaking probation terms

Talk about it

A Dickinson man will immediately begin serving a two-year sentence with the North Dakota Department of Corrections after pleading guilty Friday during a revocation of probation hearing at the Stark County Courthouse.

Terry Crooks, 43, did not meet the terms of his supervised probation on a prior charge of delivery of a controlled substance.

Crooks pleaded guilty in March 2011 to the Class A felony that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

According to a criminal complaint filed July 27, 2010, Crooks delivered or possessed with intent to deliver four morphine caplets and two hydromorephone pills, which he provided to a confidential informant.

He received a suspended three-year sentence with the Department of Corrections.

Crooks was to be on supervised probation, but had failed to report to his probation officer for several months last year.

Stark County State’s Attorney Tom Henning said the court had filed a petition for revocation of Crooks’ probation in 2011.

“But there was some difficulty in apprehending the defendant,” Henning said.

Henning said he spoke with Crooks’ probation officer, Scott Kopp, on Thursday and Crooks’ attorney, Robert Quick, on Wednesday about the issue and they came to the conclusion that Crooks needs more than probation.

“He’s not one who can be on probation,” Henning said.

Henning suggested that Crooks would be better served by parole than probation.

“If he is on parole and does not stay in line, he will not get the courtesy of appearing in front of a judge for further consideration,” Henning said.

Judge H. Patrick Weir said it appears that Crooks has addiction issues and acknowledged that the suspect admitted himself into rehab for several months last year.

“The issue is definitely addiction,” Quick said about his client.

Weir asked if there are substance abuse programs for Crooks to participate in while in prison.

A representative with the Department of Corrections said in court Friday that Crooks would undergo an intake assessment upon arrival at the jail, and he would be assigned to a program to fit his needs.

“Two years should be enough time to go through the prison’s program,” she said.

Tags: terry crooks, north dakota department of corrections, news, dickinson, probation, drugs