WORTHINGTON - A Worthington man convicted of six felony driving while impaired charges was sentenced Tuesday in Nobles County District Court on three criminal cases to be served concurrently with a sentence he’s currently serving.
Ojulu Ogala, 38, was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment for violating his probation imposed after being convicted of felony DWI in 2015; 36 months in a felony DWI conviction in a 2010 case; and 19 months for a felony check forgery charge that he pleaded guilty to Tuesday. The sentences will be served concurrently with his 51-month imprisonment sentence imposed by Fifth Judicial District Judge Gordon Moore in October after convicting Ogala of his sixth DWI offense.
During Tuesday’s plea hearing on the check forgery case, Ogala pleaded guilty to finding and tampering with a money order in October 2016 to pay his rent.
Ogala told Moore that he found the money order near the apartment complex he was living at and did not know what to do with it.
“I didn’t want to throw it away,” he added.
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Ogala admitted that he used white-out to tamper with the check that he gave to his landlord in the amount of $423.
Ogala also addressed Moore regarding potential deportation. He said he is concerned for his safety if he is deported due to his felony convictions. Originally from South Sudan but living in the United States for a significant amount of time, Ogala said he will likely be killed if he returns to the war torn country in the midst of a civil war.
Moore told Ogala that he has a right to an immigration attorney and his arguments may be made to the appropriate individuals, but his court has no authority to determine deportation matters.
