JANELLE PATTERSON The Marietta Times Reed M. Byers, 25, of Newport, appears for sentencing in Washington County Common Pleas Court Monday.

Two years of prison are in store for a Newport drug dealer.

Reed M. Byers, 26, of 25 Maple St., was sentenced by Washington County Common Pleas Judge Mark Kerenyi Monday for two third-degree felony counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs.

For each count, Byers faced up to five years in prison.

Byers said Monday that he is ashamed by his actions, and asked Kerenyi to give him a chance to correct his path.

“After having time to soberly reflect on my actions it became apparent to me that I have become a toxic member of society,” Byers said in court. “Your honor, I humbly ask for the opportunity to benefit from the treatment options available.”

His parents and girlfriend were in the gallery Monday, and Washington County Assistant Prosecutor Joe Derkin acknowledged their character references before sentencing as he explained to Kerenyi why Byers’ crimes warranted a stronger sentence.

“He’s described as a nice and loving guy, but that’s not at all how the task force described him,” Derkin said. “Angry, disturbed, he should have known better… he had a brother that died of a heroin overdose. That should have been his wake-up call; instead, he continued to supply drugs and put other families what his family had gone through.”

Derkin described how Byers drove around Washington County selling methamphetamine and carrying weapons.

“He said his coping was to sell more drugs,” Derkin said. “He went around using vehicles, like an ice cream truck selling drugs, all over the community. The task force would have gotten him earlier, they had several buys, but their (confidential informant) died, and they had to find a new CI.”

Byers’ attorney, Shawna Landaker, said Byers suffers both from drug addiction and from a diagnosed bipolar disorder.

“We’re asking the court to believe in him, his whole story is just sad, your honor,” said Landaker. “He was a lost youth… was enrolled in Marietta College but then with his brother’s death and the diagnosis of bipolar disorder he dropped out.”

Landaker asked the judge to see Byers’ intelligence and support system as beneficial factors in his recovery from drug addiction and ability to assimilate back into society. She asked Kerenyi to consider instead of the recommended prison sentences from the state, community control and entrance into Kerenyi’s Compass Drug Court program.

But ultimately Kerenyi agreed with Derkin, saying the behaviors Byers exhibited last year as the task force investigated his dealings between January and July, and more particularly the list of weaponry Byers had at his disposal, was troubling.

“The thing I find most severe is you were carrying a Glock 40 while dealing drugs, not to mention all of the other firearms you had,” said Kerenyi. “That could have turned south quickly… all drugged up with all of those firearms, that’s crazy.”

Byers was given 192 days confinement credit for time served in the Washington County Jail before sentencing.

At a glance:

• Reed M. Byers, 26, of 25 Maple St., Newport, was sentenced to two years in prison Monday.

• Byers was previously indicted for five third-degree felony counts of aggravated trafficking of methamphetamine and having a weapon under disability.

• In January he pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs.

• The charges stemmed from a seven-month investigation in 2018 into Byers by the Major Crimes Task Force, which completed four controlled buys from Byers between January and July.

• From Byers, 14 grams of methamphetamine and 10 guns were seized when he was arrested in August.

Source: Washington County Common Pleas Court.