Anthony M. Ventimiglia
Anthony M. Ventimiglia, 39, of Hillsboro has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for possessing and trafficking drugs. He is a persistent offender who previously was convicted of at least two other felony drug charges, court records show.
On Nov. 1, Ventimiglia pleaded guilty to felony drug possession and felony drug trafficking in the second degree connected to a 2021incident, and Jefferson County Div. 5 Circuit Judge Victor Melenbrink sentenced him that day to 10 years for each of the charges. The two sentences will be served concurrently, or at the same time. However, they will be served consecutively to a five-year term that was executed on Nov. 1 because Ventimiglia violated probation he was serving after being convicted of a previous felony drug charge stemming from a 2016 incident in Jefferson County.
Ventimiglia could be released early, though, if he successfully completes a 24-month treatment program.
His most recent offense occurred Sept. 17, 2021, outside of Lowe’s, 920 Arnold Commons Drive, where an officer saw him in a 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe and discovered his driving privileges had been revoked because of at least six offenses in Missouri for driving while suspended or revoked over the 10 previous years, the probable-cause statement in the case said.
After stopping the SUV, the officer searched the Tahoe and found a crystal-like substance and smoking pipe with burnt residue; a bag of a green-leafy substance; a wooden grinder with residue; two smoking pipes and rolling papers; and a plastic container with 36 capsules and a cut straw with a white-powdery residue. The crystal-like substance tested positive for methamphetamine, one of the 36 capsules tested positive for fentanyl and residue from one of the smoking pipes tested positive for meth, the report said.
Jefferson County assistant prosecuting attorney Lindsay Whalen handled the case.
Ventimiglia previously was convicted of a felony drug charge and misdemeanor drug charge connected to 2012 incident in Jefferson County and received five years’ probation, which he successfully completed.
As of Nov. 3, Ventimiglia was being held at the District 15 Probation and Parole facility in Hillsboro.