Drug court grad marks new path forward

Gary Benton III knew all about drugs.

He received his doctorate of pharmacy in 2004 and would eventually work as a pharmacy manager.

But he also knew about the illicit side of drugs. Benton was addicted to methamphetamine.

On Aug. 23, 2023, his Medford home was raided by a drug task force. Benton had a large quantity of meth and other controlled substances in his home. He was charged with first-degree drug possession.

“I was looking at five and a half years in prison,” Benton said. “When I learned that I was going to be accepted into drug court, that is when my life began.”

Eighteen months later, he became the 117^th graduate of the Steele-Waseca Drug Court, where he recounted his life before and after his arrest.

In his graduation letter, Benton said his addiction cost him his job and his friends.

“I alienated my family, stopped paying bills and stopped being financially responsible,” he said Oct. 22 as family and friends looked on.

Benton said with drug court, he gained the structure, accountability and tools he needed, “but it was not easy.

“I had to go to meetings, take countless drug tests … curfews and many other requirements,” Benton said. “This all taught me to how to be a productive member of society.”

His next steps are to study pharmacy and “get my (pharmacist) license in active status again in hopes of getting back into pharmacy. I plan to continue doing the next right thing.”

District Court Judge Joseph Bueltel, who oversees the drug court, read a letter to Benton from U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, whose father struggled with alcoholism for years before eventually getting sober.

“This achievement is a testament to your commitment and determination to gain sobriety and more your life forward in a new and more positive direction,” the senator wrote.

“As a graduate of this drug court, you’re the beneficiary of a community that’s been willing to wrap its arms around you to help you succeed,” Klobuchar said. “Above all, however … what you have accomplished on a personal level is a great thing, truly worth celebrating, when people succeed in altering their future by defeating their addictions and reclaiming their lives.”

Nicole Grams, coordinator for Steele-Waseca Drug Court, said the foundation of the program was the recognition that “several people come in and out of our jails and prisons primarily because of their addiction and mental health issues – and there’s a better way to work with folks that keeps them out of the system.”

While drug courts have been around since the 1990s, the Steele-Waseca Drug Court began in 2014.

“They are the most research-based criminal justice program that there is,” Grams said. “Essentially, it is treatment, coupled with pretty enhanced supervision,” and overseen by the court and other professionals “to help put this person on a path that they can reach their goals to start on their pathway to recovery.”

That includes assessments and appropriate treatment for substance abuse and mental health issues.

Often, drug court participants need guidance for addressing the basics: employment, housing, food, finances, education and other personal goals.

Cognitive skills are also crucial, Grams said.

“Really, what that is, it’s a program that helps identify high-risk feelings, thought and attitudes,” which can lead to relapse or worse.

“If you can learn how to think differently about things, you can learn how to have different responses,” Grams said. “We want to reduce the risk of them coming back into the system.”

Drug court is not easy, she said.

“We like to refer to it as kind of a way to restore citizenship, but we also know there’s the very real end result that this is a disease,” Grams said. “If you don’t work on coping, addressing that disease, death or incarceration can be the other result.”

Benton “came to us in a different light than most,” she said. “Gary has an advanced degree; Gary had a professional career – so it just kind of goes to show that addiction can impact anybody.”

He was facing 65 months in prison; completing drug court and the terms of his probation gave him a different option. Benton graduated with 537 days of sobriety.

Grams encouraged him to stay connected with his recovery community, “so you can continue on your journey, your recovery path. Don’t get comfortable.”

After presenting Benton with a plaque and a coin marking his accomplishment, Bueltel also had something to say.

“You were in a tough spot, and people gave you grace,” the judge said. “You did not disappoint us. You had a mindset of being a winner and making things work for you, and you worked hard.

“There were a few bumps in the road,” Bueltel said. “I think it was a very difficult experience for you, but I think you’re in such a better position today. You’ve got a great attitude, and I wish you the best of luck as you move forward with your career.”