MARIETTA - Powder Springs mother Kecia Whitfield, 44, was quickly taken into custody after a jury convicted her late Wednesday on five counts of furnishing alcohol to minors on Jan. 23 - including Garrett Reed, 16, who died later that night in a car crash.

State Court Judge Russell Carlisle denied Whitfield's request to have a few days to get things in order before turning herself in to serve an 18-month prison sentence in Cobb County Jail.

"Sometimes people get a little rabbit in them during that time, and I don't want to have to hunt you down," Carlisle told Whitfield.

She was also sentenced to 30 months of probation, during which she will have random drug and alcohol screenings. Carlisle added that if she failed any of the random drug tests during her probationary period, he would let Whitfield "cool her heels" in jail before he dealt with her.

After more than four hours of deliberations, a jury convicted Whitfield on the furnishing alcohol charges, but acquitted her of reckless conduct. Whitfield's defense lawyer, John Greco, said he felt the judge was trying to make an example of his client.

Carlisle also sentenced Whitfield to 100 hours of community service, which she must serve in the county's Alcohol Drug Awareness Day program, and fined her $1,300.

The county's Alcohol Drug Awareness Day program teaches elementary and middle school children about the dangers of alcohol and drug use and abuse. Whitfield may serve as a guest speaker at the program, or will do whatever her probation officer sees fit, Carlisle said.

"Make her mop. Make the best use possible of her," he said.

Whitfield, a mother of four children, including a toddler, will also have to take part in a Mother's Against Drunk Driving panel, and undergo drug and alcohol counseling.

Whitfield is still facing misdemeanor charges of drug possession and contributing to the delinquency of a minor stemming from May, when police found about four grams of marijuana in her house.