(Stillwater) — A Ripley man who was scheduled to stand trial this week on charges of child endangerment, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia has avoided facing a jury by pleading guilty to all three counts.
Toby Dean Haley, 30, whose home was described by authorities as hazardous to the health of his three young children, has a plea bargain for three years’ probation, court records show.
District Judge Donald Worthington accepted Haley’s guilty plea last week and ordered a background investigation of Haley, who is due to be sentenced June 8. He remains free on bail.
His wife, Felicia Ann Haley, 24, had earlier pleaded guilty to child neglect, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was placed on five years’ probation by Worthington in March.
The Haleys were arrested at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 9, 2007, at their rural Ripley residence, which had an overwhelming odor of “rotten food, animal feces and other unknown foul odors,” Stillwater Police Detective John Stanbery wrote in an affidavit.
Based on the condition of the residence, the state Department of Human Services took custody of the three children, ages 18 months, four years and six years, and removed them from the residence while a search warrant was executed by Stanbery, who found marijuana and drug paraphernalia, his affidavit said.
