AUBURN -- Two attorneys arrived on behalf of a Moravia methampethamine defendant in Cayuga County Court Thursday.

Jethro Loftus was retained Wednesday night to replace Eric Smith, a Liverpool attorney who represented Jan Ripley, 58, of 5426 Murphy Hill Road, Moravia, as she tearfully pleaded guilty last week to a second meth-related charge. Ripley said she didn't remember selling the manmade stimulant but she couldn't contest conducting the sale.

But Smith also showed up Thursday for Ripley's sentencing before bowing out of the case because of Loftus' retention. Loftus said since he had just been retained Wednesday night, the sentencing should be postponed a week or two so he could adequately represent Ripley.

Judge Thomas Leone called the last-minute attorney change a delay tactic. "I'm not willing to keep Ms. Ripley at liberty," the judge said.

So he sentenced Ripley to one year in Cayuga County Jail and $3,820 restitution toward the cost of cleaning up the meth lab at her home for the felony of thrid-degree unlawful manufacture of a meth. She jas admitted to possessing ingredients for cooking the drug, including a partially filled 120-gallon tank of anhydrous ammonia, pseudophedrine, sulfuric acid and lithium from a battery.

Ripley's case has been a complicated process involving a second indictment for selling meth after she had already pleaded guilty to cooking the stimulant in March, three defense attorneys working on the case and several court appearances.

Ripley awaits sentencing on the felony of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance Aug. 16. Ripley has admitted selling 1.7 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant April 4 at her residence.

Loftus told the court he would be reviewing Ripley's second guilty plea and possibly making motions over it.

Read the full report in Friday's edition of The Citizen.