NORWICH – A Greene man convicted of a drug felony was sentenced to state prison time after failing out of treatment court last week after telling officials he got high by accident.

Joshua R. Backus, 22, of Greene pleaded guilty to fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and was granted the option to attend treatment court.

After failing a drug test he told Chenango County Drug Treatment Court officials he accidentally licked methamphetamine off of one of his fingers.

The judge said Backus, “failed miserably,” in treatment court, and was sentenced to two years in state prison, with Shock Incarceration treatment as part of the sentence.

He was also ordered to forfeit $8,070 in cash that was seized at the time of his arrest, officials added.

Backus was initially arrested on April 6, 2018, following a physical confrontation which lead to a 911 phone call. Troopers located Backus driving and pulled him over along Town Barn Road in Oxford.

According to Chenango County Assistant District Attorney James Snashall, police found approximately 8.69 grams of cocaine, over $8,000 cash, and a gun in his vehicle at that time.

Snashall said from Backus’s initial court appearance, he seemed to be someone who was willing to invest in making a positive life change.

“He came in here, dressed to impress, jobs lined up,” said Snashall.