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Hayden man pleads guilty to drug charges

Paul Shockley

A plea agreement looks to keep a Hayden man charged in a six-month drug investigation out of state prison.

Anthony Rossi, 22, pleaded guilty Monday in Moffat County District Court to a charge of felony distribution of a controlled substance.

Rossi — as part of a deal struck between his public defender and the District Attorney’s Office — agreed to a 90-day sentence in Moffat County Jail and probation.



He will be sentenced at 1 p.m. July 1 by Judge Michael O’Hara.

Rossi was charged in an eight-count felony complaint alleging possession and distribution of a controlled substance. He allegedly sold methamphetamine and cocaine to undercover officers of the Grand, Routt and Moffat Narcotics Enforcement Team in three separate transactions between Sept. 30 and Nov. 6.



Police April 7 arrested Rossi in Hayden as part of a multi-agency drug investigation into an alleged area drug organization active in Moffat and Routt counties.

The organization — which Drug Enforcement Agency officials said was supplied with narcotics via Mexico — was targeted April 7 as police executed three search warrants at several locations in Craig and Hayden.

Seven adults face felony drug charges in the case.

Rossi is being held at the Moffat County Jail on $50,000 bond.

Alleged shooter sentenced to probation

A Craig man who faced an attempted murder charge was sentenced to a three-year probation term.

Joseph McGill, 30, would leave Craig after completion of his county jail sentence for training to become a building inspector at his father’s company in Las Vegas, Public Defender Sheryl Uhlmann told Judge Michael O’Hara Monday.

McGill has served 53 days of a 90-day jail term handed down in an April 28 hearing, when McGill pleaded guilty to a reduced charged of felony menacing.

The plea agreement stipulates no state prison time.

He was originally charged with attempted second-degree murder and attempted first-degree assault after firing a handgun at a motorist driving in front of his Fourth Street mobile home Nov. 14.

Police recovered one bullet from the rear of the alleged victim’s car.

McGill was also ordered to complete 150 hours of public service and pay $2,142 in court costs and restitution in the case.

Warrant issued in auto fraud case

Judge Michael O’Hara ordered the arrest of an Oklahoma man charged in an alleged $45,500 automobile fraud scheme.

Shane McClure, 25, failed to show for a scheduled arraignment Monday in Moffat County District Court. O’Hara issued a $30,000 warrant for his arrest.

The Durant, Okla. man was released from Moffat County Jail March 28 on a $20,000 personal recognizance bond, and had previously appeared in court by telephone in April.

McClure is charged with felony theft of more than $500, but less than $15,000, as well as felony computer crime after allegedly contracting with three men to build a 1941 Willys Coupe, but not performing work.

The purported victims — including one Craig man — each paid McClure half of the costs associated with the work upon signing the contacts, according to court documents.

The men contacted McClure after unsuccessful bids to buy a 1941 Willys Coupe offered by McClure during an auction on eBay motors’ web site in August.

Court documents state that the Craig man mailed McClure an $8,500 check on Sept. 3 as part of a $17,500 deal to build the car.

The three men lost a combined $45,550 in cash, vehicle trades and parts, according to court documents.

Paul Shockley can be reached at 824-7031 or at pshockley@craigdailypress.com.


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