Butler granted judicial release
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A former member of the Highland County Board of Elections and Hillsboro Planning Commission who had been sentenced to three years in prison for stealing more than $200,000 from an area church has been granted judicial release.
Dennis Butler, 68, of Hillsboro, pleaded guilty March 4 to one count of theft in Highland County Common Pleas Court.
Highland County Prosecutor Jim Grandey told The Highland County Press that the judicial release was granted so that Butler could begin paying the restitution.
Butler was indicted by a Highland County grand jury in November. The indictment was the result of an investigation by detectives with the Highland County Sheriff's Office into allegations that Butler was embezzling money from a Concord Township church, the Sugartree Ridge Church of Christ, where he had been serving as treasurer for a number of years.
Visiting Judge Steven Beathard sentenced Butler to three years in prison April 6 and ordered him to pay $200,000 in restitution to the Sugar Tree Ridge Church of Christ. According to the entry of confinement the "offense related to public office/position held; position obligated to offender to prevent it or bring those committing it to justice; or offender's reputation/position facilitated crime or likely to influence others."
According to a court entry filed Friday by visiting Beathard, "Upon review of the case, the presentence investigation, the statements of counsel and the defendant's responses to the court's questions, the court finds that the defendant's conduct while imprisoned and (his) demeanor and plans for rehabilitation and for his future, encourage the court to believe that the defendant is a good candidate for judicial release."
He was represented by attorney David Pence.
Butler was ordered to be released from further incarceration, but it is contingent upon supervision of the probation department, that he be placed on house arrest for a minimum of 30 days and that he pay restitution as ordered.
A former member of the Highland County Board of Elections and Hillsboro Planning Commission who had been sentenced to three years in prison for stealing more than $200,000 from an area church has been granted judicial release.
Dennis Butler, 68, of Hillsboro, pleaded guilty March 4 to one count of theft in Highland County Common Pleas Court.
Highland County Prosecutor Jim Grandey told The Highland County Press that the judicial release was granted so that Butler could begin paying the restitution.
Butler was indicted by a Highland County grand jury in November. The indictment was the result of an investigation by detectives with the Highland County Sheriff's Office into allegations that Butler was embezzling money from a Concord Township church, the Sugartree Ridge Church of Christ, where he had been serving as treasurer for a number of years.
Visiting Judge Steven Beathard sentenced Butler to three years in prison April 6 and ordered him to pay $200,000 in restitution to the Sugartree Ridge Church of Christ. According to the entry of confinement the "offense related to public office/position held; position obligated to offender to prevent it or bring those committing it to justice; or offender's reputation/position facilitated crime or likely to influence others."
According to a court entry filed Friday by visiting Beathard, "Upon review of the case, the pre-sentence investigation, the statements of counsel and the defendant's responses to the court's questions, the court finds that the defendant's conduct while imprisoned and (his) demeanor and plans for rehabilitation and for his future, encourage the court to believe that the defendant is a good candidate for judicial release."
He was represented by attorney David Pence.
Butler was ordered to be released from further incarceration, but it is contingent upon supervision of the probation department, that he be placed on house arrest for a minimum of 30 days and that he pay restitution as ordered.
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