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Rough start, better ending at Drug Court proceeding

By Dean Shalhoup - Senior Staff Writer | May 17, 2019

NASHUA – Despite a rather shaky start, Emily Atwood’s court hearing this week on an agreement sparing her time behind bars if she enters, and graduates from, Nashua Adult Drug Court concluded on a more positive note, with the judge promising her she “won’t be flying alone” on her road to recovery.

Atwood, 39, who said she currently has no fixed address, was more than two hours late for her hearing, which clearly rubbed Superior Court Judge Jacalyn Colburn the wrong way.

“Ms. Atwood, I’m not very happy with you today,” Colburn said as soon as she settled in her seat on the bench.

“You’re two hours late. Why?” she asked Atwood, who stood at the defense table next to her attorney Daniel Donadio, clutching a packet of paperwork.

“I have no excuse,” Atwood responded, hesitating briefly. “I overslept.”

“Well, let this be a one and done,” Colburn said, as Atwood nodded in agreement.

The hearing involved an agreement designed to end Atwood’s regular appearances in local district and Superior courts, and instead put her on a path of comprehensive treatment, counseling and other lifestyle-improvement programs that constitute the Drug Court program.

Atwood, in exchange for agreeing to enter, and succeed in, Drug Court, pleaded guilty to several charges accumulated during the past couple of years, and to enter pleas of “true” to the two probation violation offenses she also faces.

The charges include three counts of theft, two counts of possession of controlled drugs, one count of forgery, and the two violations of probation.

The deal calls for two sets of sentences, one of which is a term of 36 days in jail, with credit for 36 days of time already served, on the probation violation charges.

The other set is a combination of terms of three to six years, along with one and a half to three years, in State Prison, all suspended for four years, on the other six charges, all of which are felonies.

Atwood also agrees to serve four years probation, and pay restitution in an amount yet to be determined.

Assistant County Attorney Lin Li, who prosecuted the case, read a summary of the charges.

In May 2018, Atwood was arrested for theft, accused of stealing items from an Ocean State Job Lot store.

In July, she was charged with two counts of theft in Milford, for “going through” a man’s vehicle and stealing items from the Penguin Mart.

Nashua police arrested Atwood again in December, after they identified her as the driver of a car they stopped for driving the wrong way on West Hollis Street, Li said.

The drug-possession charges were added when police, in searching Atwood, found drugs on her.

In June in Brookline, Atwood was arrested after reportedly depositing a fraudulent check into someone’s account, resulting in the forgery charge.

And in July in Amherst, police charged Atwood with unlawful concealment, or shoplifting, as well as resisting arrest.

Before Colburn adjourned the hearing, after which Atwood was to meet with a Drug Court case manager, she told Atwood she would have to abide by a number of rules – but would also receive plenty of support.

“This isn’t you flying alone,” Colburn told her.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256, dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com, or @Telegraph_DeanS.

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