Fired corrections officer pleads innocent to drug charge

WARREN

Sarah L. Graham, a 23-year-old corrections officer at the Trumbull County jail who was fired Wednesday, has pleaded innocent to 12 counts of deception to obtain a dangerous drug.

She appeared with her attorney, Gary Rich, in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Thursday for arraignment before Judge John M. Stuard.

Though she was scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 4 before Judge Andrew Logan with the rest of the people indicted Wednesday, Judge Stuard agreed to arraign her Thursday.

Rich was there representing another defendant and asked Judge Stuard just after the pretrial for that client whether Judge Stuard would also handle Graham’s arraignment.

Judge Stuard accepted her innocent plea and set Graham’s bond at $2,500, though she may be eligible for pretrial release once she is interviewed by the Trumbull County Adult Probation Department, Judge Stuard said.

Pretrial release only requires a signature, not payment of any money.

She returns to court Nov. 17 for her first pretrial before Judge W. Wyatt McKay, who is presiding over her case.

Graham was fired Wednesday as a result of the indictment, which stemmed from an investigation by a Mahoning County agent of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.