Greenfield woman sentenced in fentanyl trafficking case
A Greenfield woman indicted on first-degree felony drug charges was sentenced to four years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to lower-level charges.
As previously reported, Hope Rowland, 25, was indicted in May and charged with aggravated trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, a first-degree felony; aggravated possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a first-degree felony; illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility, a third-degree felony; aggravated possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony; and a forfeiture specification.
The Greenfield Police Department had arrested Rowland and her codefendant — Daryl Bumgarner Jr., 34, also of Greenfield — in March, after a search warrant was executed at their residence on McKell Avenue, and they were placed under a $1 million bond. It was alleged that approximately 60 grams of fentanyl and $6,000 in cash were seized.
According to court records, Rowland pleaded guilty June 2 to an amended count of aggravated trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, lowered from a first-degree to a third-degree felony; illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility, a third-degree felony; and the forfeiture specification. The remaining charges were dismissed.
The indictment had alleged that on or about March 28, Rowland “did knowingly prepare for shipment, ship, transport, deliver, prepare for distribution or distribute, a fentanyl-related compound” while knowing or having “reasonable cause to believe that the controlled substance was intended for sale or resale by the offender or another person.” She was also accused of “knowingly conveying, or attempting to convey” a fentanyl-related compound onto the grounds of the Highland County Sheriff’s Office March 31.
During a sentencing hearing Wednesday morning, Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss sentenced Rowland to a definite determinate term of 24 months on each felony count, to run consecutively, for a total of 48 months in prison. She had jail time credit of 41 days.
Subject to forfeiture in this case were a 2017 Chevrolet Cruz, for “its instrumentality in the commission or facilitation fo the offense,” as well as $5,823. According to the judgment entry, the money will be split between the Highland County Task Force ($1,455.75), Greenfield Police Department ($3,275.44) and Highland County Prosecutor’s Office ($1,091.81).
Rowland’s co-defendant, Bumgarner, was sentenced in June to a minimum of 11 years (maximum 16.5 years) in prison, after pleading guilty to one first-degree felony count of aggravated trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound.