Pubdate: Sun, 11 Sep 2005
Source: Courier, The (Lincoln, IL)
Copyright: 2005 The Lincoln Courier
Contact:  http://www.lincolncourier.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3923
Author: James Washburn
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

DIANA SHORT PLEADS GUILTY

Former Lincoln Police Cpl. Diana R. Short pleaded guilty Thursday, formally 
admitting she grew marijuana in the basement of her home and conspired with 
her daughter to manufacture methamphetamine.

Short, 46, faces at least nine and up to 37 years in prison. She will be 
sentenced at 11 a.m. Oct. 6.

According to the plea agreement reached between Logan County State's 
Attorney Tim Huyett and her defense attorneys, assistant public defender 
Joel Diers of Lincoln and her hired attorney Fredrick Schlosser of 
Springfield, Short pleaded guilty to specific charges in exchange for 
others being dismissed.

The agreement did not address any specific sentencing recommendations.

She pleaded guilty to unlawful criminal drug conspiracy, a Class X felony, 
stemming from a thwarted plot between Short and her 22-year-old daughter 
Brianna Strohl to manufacture meth to raise bond money for Short, who was 
being held in lieu of $7,500 at the Logan County Safety Complex.

The other charges to which she pleaded guilty stem from evidence Illinois 
State Police recovered at Short's former residence in the 500 block of 
North Hamilton Street during a raid in December.

Those charges include unlawful manufacture of marijuana with the intent to 
deliver, a Class II felony; official misconduct, a Class III felony; filing 
a false affidavit, a Class IV felony; and two Class A misdemeanors for 
possessing illegal firearms.

In exchange for Short's plea, Huyett agreed to dismiss seven drug-related 
criminal felonies, according to court records.

Those charges include controlled substance trafficking and unlawful 
manufacture of a controlled substance, both Class X felonies; criminal drug 
conspiracy and unlawful possession of methamphetamine manufacturing 
chemicals, both Class I felonies; unlawful manufacture of marijuana and 
solicitation, both Class II felonies; and unlawful production of marijuana 
plants, a Class III felony.

During their raid, police recovered 25 marijuana plants, psilocybin spores 
capable of developing into hallucinogenic mushrooms and three illegal 
handguns in the basement of the house that were owned by the former cop and 
her 41-year-old husband, John Short.

An anonymous tip to Illinois State Police spurred the raid.

John Short faced nearly identical drug charges to those lodged against 
Diana, until the first week of August, when Huyett filed the meth 
conspiracy charges against Diana and Strohl. He pleaded guilty to growing 
marijuana and the mushroom spores Aug. 4 - the day after Diana and Strohl 
were arraigned on the conspiracy charges - and was sentenced to six years 
in prison by Associate Circuit Judge Charles Feeney.

Because the conspiracy charge was part of an additional case levied against 
Short while she was awaiting trial on the marijuana and mushroom charges, 
any sentence imposed for that conviction must be served consecutively to 
any incarceration from the initial case.
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