Creek County Special Judge Richard Woolery imposed the sentence for Cody Wayne Hahn, 22, for violating the terms of a plea deal he made in March on a misdemeanor charge of eluding an officer.
That charge grew out of a high-speed vehicle chase through Sapulpa in December.
Hahn made the plea deal on the eluding charge, for which no finding of guilt was made and sentencing was deferred for one year. He received a 30-day jail term and one year of probation, with the condition that he stay out of trouble.
After he was bound over for trial on a felony charge of intimidating a witness in the dog-dragging case, prosecutors sought to have Hahn's probation revoked and for him to serve the year in jail.
At Wednesday's hearing, Assistant District Attorney Glen Hickerson told the judge that Hahn lacks a respect for law enforcement and that the only way he can act responsibly is if he is jailed.
Hahn also addressed the judge, asking him to spare him the jail time and noting that he has been paying his fines and court costs, has been to all required court hearings and is working. He said he needs to earn money so he can hire a new lawyer.
Woolery told Hahn that he has had a "spectacular year" of publicity and went on to tell him that "actions speak louder than words."
The judge also noted that Hahn will be seeking his fifth lawyer.
In the end, Woolery opted to revoke Hahn's probation and convict him on the eluding charge. He then gave him a one-year suspended sentence, calling it a "middle ground" and noting that Hahn will now have a conviction on his record.
Hahn still faces a felony animal cruelty charge in connection with the Oct. 26, 2008, dragging of a mixed-breed dog behind a black sport utility vehicle for about a half-mile until the dog came free of its collar and leash.
The badly injured dog was nursed back to health and has since been adopted.
Witnesses identified Hahn as the SUV's driver.
His legal troubles grew when prosecutors filed the intimidation charge against him last March.
Prosecutors claimed that Hahn sent threatening and intimidating text messages to Anthony Teague, 23, a witness in the dog-dragging case.
Authorities said Teague originally provided an alibi for Hahn in the animal cruelty case, saying that the two were at a Tulsa tire store around the time the dog was dragged.
In February, though, prosecutors said Teague recanted that story, claiming that Hahn had asked him to lie for him to provide an alibi. Teague said he went along with the story to help out a friend, prosecutors said.
Hahn's girlfriend Rikki Leigh Seritt is also charged with Felony Animal Cruelty.
(Tulsa World - June 14, 2011)
Earlier:
- Oklahoma: Army serviceman Cody Hahn appears in court, accused of animal torture
- Oklahoma: Army soldier Cody Hahn denies dragging dog and then abandoning it on the side of the road to die
- Oklahoma: Cody Hahn has hearing on felony animal cruelty case in which he and his girlfriend Rikki Seritt are accused of tying a dog to their pickup and purposely driving off, skinning the dog alive
- Oklahoma: Army serviceman Cody Hahn arrested for intimidating witness in animal torture case
- Oklahoma: Police searching for Cody Hahn's girlfriend Rikki Seritt - both involved in the horrific dog dragging case
- Oklahoma: Cody Hahn, 20, already arrested on animal cruelty charges for skinning a dog by purposely dragging it behind his truck. Now his girlfriend Rikki Seritt, 18, has been arrested
- Oklahoma: Rikki Seritt, 18, and her boyfriend Cody Hahn, 20, have upcoming court dates, accused of purposely dragging her dog behind their vehicle, skinning the dog alive
