Bringman receives 10-year prison sentence

Justin Bringman, 18, was present in court for the sentencing one day after he entered the plea of guilty to involuntary manslaughter, a class D felony, and delivery of methadone, a class C felony.

Bringman faced a possible maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for the charges.

However, Judge Edward Jacobson did not order him to serve the terms consecutively -- five years for the first crime and 10 years for the second. Instead, Jacobson made the sentences concurrent, meaning they will be served simultaneously for a maximum of 10 years.

"I know in my heart you did not intend for your friend to die," Jacobson said. "I am however going to post a 10-year mandatory one-third mandatory minimum for you to serve."

Earlier County Attorney Darin Raymond urged the judge to make Bringman's sentence 15 years, reading a statement from the mother of the victim, Nicholas Clay, of Akron.

"Mrs. Clay writes, 'I want you to hear from me that your careless actions not only affected you and your family. It needlessly took the life of my son, Nicholas," Raymond said. "It also took Nicholas' future. It's gone as we know it, and yours will be forever changed."

The facts of the case, Raymond argued, warrant a consecutive sentence of 15 years.

"I readily admit the defendant has a limited criminal history," he said. "The court understands that defendant, the victim, the victim's sister and several others were engaged in a pattern of reckless drug abuse.... This wasn't a single incident."

Raymond urged the judge to send a "clear message" with Bringman's sentence that "abuse of prescription medication is lethal."

During the proceeding, Bringman also spoke.

"I'd like to apologize to the family of Nicholas Clay. I'm sorry," he said.

Later he told the judge Clay "was like a brother to me growing up."

Bringman also pledged to finish his high school education and earn his diploma.