Second Jury Rejects Entrapment Defense

A jury in Judge Kimbler's courtroom today, October 20, 2010, returned a guilty verdict on two counts of Drug Trafficking, both fifth degree felonies, in the case of State of Ohio v. Michael A. Porach, 33, of Manitoulin Pike in Brunswick, Ohio. Mr. Porach had argued to the jury that he was entrapped into committing the two drug trafficking charges. The jury, by returning guilty verdicts, rejected the entrapment defense.

The jury trial, which started on Monday, involved the same confidential informant who testified in another trial in Judge Kimbler's courtroom earlier this year. In both cases the defendants argued that they were entrapped into committing the trafficking offenses. In each case the confidential informant was vigorously cross-examined by defense counsel. In each case, though, there was also corroborating evidence such as audio recordings of the alleged drug transactions. Although he has been a judge for almost 25 years, this is the first year in which Judge Kimbler has given a jury instruction on entrapment.

Following the reading of the verdicts, Judge Kimbler ordered a pre-sentence investigation and continued Mr. Porach's bond. Sentence will be imposed on December 16, 2010 at 8:30 am.