LIMA — A Lima man who prosecutors said has lived a life of “drugs, guns and police” since he was 10 years old will spend more than 27 years in prison for assorted drug crimes committed in 2014 and 2015.
Raylon Davis, 35, of Lima, was sentenced by Allen County Common Pleas Court Judge Jeffrey Reed on Thursday to a total of 27 1/2 years in prison — the maximum allowable — on charges of possession of cocaine, possession of heroin, possession of marijuana, illegal cultivation of marijuana and possessing a weapon while under disability.
Davis was convicted by an Allen County jury on charges of possession of cocaine, a second-degree felony, and possession of heroin, a felony of the fourth degree in connection with incidents that took place in 2014, according to court records.
While on bond for those alleged crimes, Davis eluded law enforcement officials for more than a year before being arrested again on Jan. 17 of this year. During the time he eluded police, prosecutors successfully convinced jurors, Davis continued to deal in guns and drugs. He was convicted of crimes committed in 2015 that included possession of cocaine, a second-degree felony; possession of heroin, a fourth-degree felony; possession of marijuana, illegal cultivation of marijuana and possessing a weapon while under disability, all third-degree felonies.
Prior to sentencing, Davis apologized “to the court, the community and my family for being a burden” and said his life has been “a hard, long, rocky road.” He asked for less than the maximum sentence but told Reed that “whatever the plan is, it’s part of God’s plan, and I’ll take it like a man.”
Davis’ father also addressed the court, taking some responsibility for “not raising my kids as I should have” and asking for a lesser sentence.
Despite pleas for leniency, Reed said he felt it was necessary to impose the maximum sentence “to protect the public” from the defendant, who has a long criminal history. Reed said the fact that Davis committed drug-related crimes while out on bond in a prior drug case weighed heavily in his decision to impose the maximum.
The judge doled out prison sentences ranging from seven years for the second-degree felony charges to lesser sentences on the remaining charges. He also ordered the defendant to forfeit three guns, cash and an electronic tablet to the state.
After going through no fewer than five attorneys from the time charges were first filed against him in March 2014 up until his trial, Davis was convicted by a jury on Aug. 4. Throughout the course of the case, various lawyers representing Davis argued, unsuccessfully, that the defendant’s constitutional right to a speedy trial had been denied.
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