Newspaper Co-Owner Faces Jail, Fine on Drug Charge

The co-owner of the Antelope Valley Press newspaper faces a 90-day jail sentence, several months in a drug treatment program and a $14,100 fine after pleading no contest Friday to cocaine possession and firearm charges.

Lancaster Superior Court Judge Charles Horan scheduled a Dec. 16 sentencing for William W. Odett, 45, of Palmdale. Odett was arrested May 16 after using a shotgun to force a telephone book delivery woman off his property. At the time, he was found with 1.67 grams of cocaine.

Under a plea bargain that set his sentence, Odett was convicted of cocaine possession, a felony, and brandishing a firearm, a misdemeanor. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop a felony assault with a firearm charge and a misdemeanor charge of resisting a peace officer.

After Friday’s hearing, Odett’s mother said she was glad her son finally is going to get some help for his problems. “We need help. We’ve got to get help for him,” Miriam Odett told the judge.

Odett remained in custody in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Several times, authorities have said that they suspected Odett was under the influence of drugs. While free on lesser bail amounts, Odett missed two court hearings and was late for two others until deputies finally arrested him again Nov. 14 after the judge issued a warrant.

On Friday, angry that Odett appeared to be smirking and laughing to himself during the hearing, Horan ordered him removed to the court jail for about 25 minutes. When Odett returned, he remained composed and entered his plea with no further incidents.

By the time of his scheduled sentencing, Odett will have served about 30 days in County Jail and will be given automatic credit for about another 15 days. Under jail policies, that probably will be enough to satisfy his 90-day jail sentence, prosecutors said.

Odett also will spend an unspecified amount of time in custody at a drug treatment facility under the sentencing agreement.

In May, as the delivery woman was walking up to Odett’s house with the phone book, he came out the front door with a shotgun and held it to her head as he forced her to her car. Later, after sheriff’s deputies arrived, Odett refused to leave the house for about an hour before surrendering.