Cassell pleads guilty to corrupt activity, sentenced to 9 years in prison
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
A Wilmington man has pleaded guilty to engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and was sentenced to nine years in prison Friday. As a result of the plea, nearly $40,000, and four vehicles were forfeited to Highland County.
Rodger Cassell pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree felony engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a felony of the first degree; one count of possession of drugs, a felony of the third degree; and a forfeiture of property specification.
He had been indicted on 61 counts, according to the court, ranging from engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, to trafficking in drugs, possession of drugs, tampering with evidence, and possession of criminal tools. As a result of the plea, the remaining counts were dismissed.
Cassell had been scheduled to stand trial Monday in Highland County Common Pleas Court. Co-defendants Jeffrey Stevens and Zachary Bondurant will stand trial Monday.
Cassell, Stevens and Bondurant, along with six others, were arrested in April during a drug bust after a grand jury in Highland County Common Pleas Court handed down a 62-count indictment. There were a total of 153 indictments involving real estate, vehicles, cash and other assets connected to the alleged activity. The indictments were the result of a months-long covert drug investigation by detectives with the Highland County Sheriff's Office, U.S. 23 Major Crimes Task Force, Greenfield Police Department and the Clinton County Sheriff's Office into cocaine and heroin trafficking in Highland County and the surrounding area.
Of the seven defendants who have entered into plea agreements, all but one received prison time.
The first-degree felony charge carried a mandatory prison sentence of three to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $20,000.
Among the items that were forfeited were $36,568, a 2005 Dodge Magnum, a 2004 Dodge truck, a 2002 Jaguar, a 1976 Pontiac Bonneville, and various electronic equipment. According to the charge, the money and property were obtained in the use of or attempted use in engaging in the pattern of corrupt activity, or were obtained as a direct or indirect result of that activity.
Cassell had appeared in court Friday for a final pretrial hearing, and for a motion to suppress hearing. Highland Count Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss told Cassell that the motion to suppress a search warrant would not take place if he pleaded guilty, and that the next phase would be sentencing. Cassell said that he understood. Coss noted that the hearing was scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and the court did not go on the record until 3:20 p.m. Coss said asked if that had given Cassell enough time to discuss the plea with his attorney, and if they had been discussing the plea prior to going to court Friday. Cassell said they had discussed it.
The state was represented by Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins and Cassell was represented by attorney Anthony VanNoy.
After the court accepted the guilty plea, an immediate hearing was held on sentencing.
Coss followed the state's recommendation of six years in prison on the corrupt activity charge, and three years in prison of the drug charge, to be served consecutively, for a total of nine years in prison. Because the sentence is mandatory on the corrupt activity charge, Coss said that Cassell will "serve every day" of that sentence.
VanNoy told the court that Cassell was entering into the plea because he "did not want to go forward to trial. He owes a lot to this community as a whole and will take the time in prison to work on himself, to better himself."
Cassell was remanded to custody.
Prosecutor Anneka Collins said that she was glad the court followed the state's recommendation on sentencing.
"We're pleased with the plea and with the sentence," Collins said. "Detectives (with the HCSO and drug task force) did an excellent job of investigating. That is nine years that (Cassell) won't be here to sell drugs to the county. He is a big guy in the drug world."
Det. Sergeant Richard Warner of the HCSO said, "We're pleased, and hope that this sends a message that if you're going to deal drugs in Highland County and Clinton County, you're going to do time."
A Wilmington man has pleaded guilty to engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and was sentenced to nine years in prison Friday. As a result of the plea, nearly $40,000, and four vehicles were forfeited to Highland County.
Rodger Cassell pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree felony engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity; one count of possession of drugs, a felony of the third degree; and a forfeiture of property specification.
He had been indicted on 61 counts, according to the court, ranging from engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, to trafficking in drugs, possession of drugs, tampering with evidence, and possession of criminal tools. As a result of the plea, the remaining counts were dismissed.
Cassell had been scheduled to stand trial Monday in Highland County Common Pleas Court. Co-defendants Jeffrey Stevens and Zachary Bondurant will stand trial Monday.
Cassell, Stevens and Bondurant, along with six others, were arrested in April during a drug bust after a grand jury in Highland County Common Pleas Court handed down a 62-count indictment. There were a total of 153 indictments involving real estate, vehicles, cash and other assets connected to the alleged activity. The indictments were the result of a months-long covert drug investigation by detectives with the Highland County Sheriff's Office, U.S. 23 Major Crimes Task Force, Greenfield Police Department and the Clinton County Sheriff's Office into cocaine and heroin trafficking in Highland County and the surrounding area.
Of the seven defendants who have entered into plea agreements, all but one received prison time.
The first-degree felony charge carried a mandatory prison sentence of three to 10 years, and a maximum fine of $20,000.
Among the items that were forfeited were $36,568, a 2005 Dodge Magnum, a 2004 Dodge truck, a 2002 Jaguar, a 1976 Pontiac Bonneville, and various electronic equipment. According to the charge, the money and property were obtained in the use of or attempted use in engaging in the pattern of corrupt activity, or were obtained as a direct or indirect result of that activity.
Cassell had appeared in court Friday for a final pretrial hearing, and for a motion to suppress hearing. Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss told Cassell that the motion to suppress a search warrant would not take place if he pleaded guilty, and that the next phase would be sentencing. Cassell said that he understood. Coss noted that the hearing was scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and the court did not go on the record until 3:20 p.m. Coss asked if that had given Cassell enough time to discuss the plea with his attorney, and if they had been discussing the plea prior to going to court Friday. Cassell said they had discussed it.
The state was represented by Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins and Cassell was represented by attorney Anthony VanNoy.
After the court accepted the guilty plea, an immediate hearing was held on sentencing.
Coss followed the state's recommendation of six years in prison on the corrupt activity charge, and three years in prison of the drug charge, to be served consecutively, for a total of nine years in prison. Because the sentence is mandatory on the corrupt activity charge, Coss said that Cassell will "serve every day" of that sentence.
VanNoy told the court that Cassell was entering into the plea because he "did not want to go forward to trial. He owes a lot to this community as a whole and will take the time in prison to work on himself, to better himself."
Cassell was remanded to custody.
Prosecutor Anneka Collins said that she was glad the court followed the state's recommendation on sentencing.
"We're pleased with the plea and with the sentence," Collins said. "Detectives (with the HCSO and drug task force) did an excellent job of investigating. That is nine years that (Cassell) won't be here to sell drugs to the county. He is a big guy in the drug world."
Det. Sergeant Richard Warner of the HCSO said, "We're pleased, and hope that this sends a message that if you're going to deal drugs in Highland County and Clinton County, you're going to do time."
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