Man who had meth-making materials sentenced to prison

ALBION – An Albion man was sentenced to three years in state prison today after he faced numerous charges after being arrested last Feb. 13.

That day Dennis Calkins, 35, allegedly jumped from a moving vehicle and fled police on foot. He was wanted on a parole warrant. Albion police and Orleans County Sheriff’s deputies found a backpack full of ingredients for making methamphetamine in the back seat of the car he was driving.

Calkins was charged with felony unlawful manufacturing or possession of meth or meth lab materials, and misdemeanor counts of obstruction of governmental administration and possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Calkins has a prior felony for driving while intoxicated. His “issues” stem from substance abuse problems, his attorney, Michael Manusia, told Judge James Punch during sentencing this afternoon.

Manusia requested a drug treatment program for Calkins in prison. Punch said he would leave that up to the state Department of Corrections.

“You have a very serious criminal history,” Punch told Calkins. “You intended to make methamphetamine, which is a very dangerous drug. I’d hate to see it get a toehold in our county along with all the other problems.”

In another case in county court today, a Gaines resident pleaded guilty to fourth-degree grand larceny and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Lee Q. Tisdale, 43, of 2822 Lattin Rd. was arrested in March following a six-month investigation into the sale and distribution of cocaine, ecstasy and methylone “bath salts” in Orleans County.

Tisdale admitted to two crimes in court today: stealing a Chevy van and selling the drug known as MDMA or ecstasy.

As part of a plea deal today, he won’t face more than two years in state prison when he is sentenced on March 9.