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No more prison time for East Liverpool woman charged in Big Oak drug ring

LISBON — Brandy A. Cottrill, a Operation Big Oak defendant, did not receive any additional prison time for her part helping with the drug ring.

Cottrill, 27, Densmore Avenue, East Liverpool, appeared before Judge Megan Bickerton on Monday for sentencing for 25 fifth-degree felony charges from the Operation Big Oak indictment — 16 counts of aggravated possession of drugs for fentanyl and nine counts of possession of cocaine.

Cottrill appeared in custody and was previously sentenced on Oct. 11 to nine months in prison for illegal conveyance of drugs onto the grounds of a detention facility. The charge was for bringing cocaine into the county jail on Oct. 10, 2016.

She is currently serving her sentence and her defense attorney, Kelly Linger, said she has been getting involved in a military program, classes to get her GED, attending AA meetings and is currently on a waiting list for a substance abuse counseling program.

Cottrill said while she knows Bickerton has probably heard it from others, “prison has really opened my eyes.” She said she has grown tired of living the way she had and she has gained a lot of discipline through her military program, which has taught her about service and helping others.

She is scheduled to be released July 1 and will already be on four years community control for the Operation Big Oak cases. However, Bickerton voiced her concerns about placing Cottrill on community control, a negotiated recommendation through the Ohio Attorney General’s special prosecutors and Linger.

“I promise you, if you violate the terms of your community control, you are going straight back to prison,” Bickerton said, noting she has concerns about Cottrill’s past record. “I hope you are sincere and when you get out you are able to be a productive member of society.”

Cottrill’s charges were a part of the 757-count Operation Big Oak indictment, which included charges for about 100 defendants. The indictment involved members of the Down the Way street gang who were allegedly responsible for the distribution of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl, including drug activity occurring in Columbiana, Cuyahoga and Medina counties. These indictments were issued by a special session of the county grand jury in October of 2017.

djohnson@mojonews.com

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