Three recently arrested individuals get approved for drug court

By Spencer Burt
On Monday, one woman and two men who had been arrested for drug-related charges were approved by Judge Kevin Allen to attend drug court at Utah's First District Court in Logan.
Lisa Flores, Joe Bob Lewis, and Camren Glenn were all arrested in March and charged with drug possession. All three of them, along with several other recently arrested individuals, had their initial appearances with Allen on Monday. Their attorneys, Bryan Galloway for Flores and Lewis, and Shannon Demler for Glenn, requested the judge authorize the three to begin drug court, which he approved. The next day, these three were brought into the courtroom by Cache County Sheriff's deputies to observe drug court.
Drug court is overseen by Judge Thomas Willmore. According to Kevin Mortensen, one of the many who attends each week, it's a second chance for people with drug problems. Rather than go to rehab or keep going in and out of jail, drug court lets people who have been charged or convicted of drug possession or abuse spend time attending support groups, looking for work, attending school, and being around supportive friends and family. Mortensen said that if one completes drug court, which takes a minimum of 16 months, the judge will dismiss that person's charges.
"It's really, really intensive and strict," Mortensen said. If someone breaks any of the strict rules, such as drinking alcohol or using any form of illegal drugs, Judge Willmore usually sends them back to jail, Mortensen said.
One exception to this general rule of thumb was Trevor Shepherd. He is on phase one of five in the program. "I was on phase two, but I ran away from drug court," he said. "I just took off, went back to West Valley."
He was arrested on a warrant in November 2016 the day before he was planning to turn himself back in. "They could have kicked me out and sent me to prison, but they gave me an opportunity to restart."
Shepherd says drug court is a lot different than when he first started it. "Nothing has changed but my attitude," he said. "I have a lot more to work for."