State v. J.D.

Plea to one 1st degree drug sale charge, rest of the charges dismissed, and granted a dispositional departure - client will not go to prison. Client was facing 62 months as part of a presumptive guideline sentence. At the outset, this seemed like a foregone conclusion given that the individuals who bought from him overdosed and nearly avoided death, and our client had a massive amount of drugs and sales paraphernalia in his apartment at the time of the search. Not to mention, our client was on probation for a prior drug offense. Despite these bad facts, Mr. Gempeler worked closely with the client and his family to get him on the right track and to truly change his life. After two years of sobriety, surrounding himself with supportive family and friends, devoting himself to his faith and helping others in their sober journeys, Mr. Gempeler made a compelling and convincing argument to get a dispositional departure. Now, the client is on probation, subject to more than manageable conditions, and he has his new life in front of him. Truly, a lifesaving two years and outcome.