Toledoan is sentenced to 11 months for crack

10/7/2010

A Toledo man who was working for the city through an employment agency was sentenced in Lucas County Common Pleas Court Tuesday to 11 months in prison for drugs.

Lequan Lofton, 30, of 2035 Miles pleaded no contest Aug. 24 to possession of cocaine. He was found guilty of having 1.08 grams of crack cocaine in his vehicle, which was seen in plain view after officers made a traffic stop at 11:15 p.m. Jan. 22 at Dorr Street and Detroit Avenue, authorities said.

As part of the plea, a second charge of trafficking in cocaine was dismissed. Judge Frederick McDonald noted during the sentencing that Lofton was convicted of possession of cocaine in 2003. In that case, he was ordered to serve a year in prison and had his driver's license suspended one year.

According to the city, Lofton was a seasonal assignee who worked in the neighborhoods department as a laborer. He was fired Sept. 11 for absenteeism.