A 60-year-old Starke man on probation was sentenced to a year behind bars after he violated the terms of his supervision twice.
Arthur Lavern DeSue was initially arrested on December 17, 2021, after a Starke police confidential source bought 0.1 grams of crack cocaine from the defendant for $20 on Florida Street.
Circuit Judge James M. Colaw sentenced the defendant to two years of drug offender probation the following April.
In September 2023, a probation officer reported that a urine sample DeSue gave tested positive for cocaine, that he was $360 in arrears in his supervision costs, and that he was $53 in arrears in paying court costs.
In response, Colaw extended DeSue’s supervision by six months and ordered him to undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation.
However, one month later, another urine sample provided by the defendant showed cocaine in his system. According to the probation officer’s violation report, DeSue claimed the positive test resulted from him touching the illegal controlled substance.
