Defendants appear in corrupt activities case
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
Two defendants from an engaging in a pattern of corrupt activities case appeared for pre-trial hearings Wednesday in Highland County Common Pleas Court.
Multiple trial dates had been scheduled for defendants in the case that resulted from a months-long covert drug operation by multiple law enforcement agencies. On Wednesday, Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss said that the court would not go through the expense of having multiple trials for the same case.
"I'm not going to try (this case) six times," Coss said. "Twice at most."
Defendants Quentin Binegar and Greg Smith appeared in the custody of the Highland County Sheriff's Office. In addition to the first-degree felony charge of engaging in a patter of corrupt activities all defendants are facing, Binegar and Smith are charged with trafficking in drugs in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in drugs, and possession of drugs;
Binegar's attorney Susan Zurface Daniels had asked for a continuance in the case, which had been scheduled for trial on Nov. 7, and the court rescheduled the date for Nov. 28. Co-defendants Thomas Peters, Donna Gillam and Stephanie Ford are scheduled to stand trial on Nov. 28, as well.
There were 11 defendants in the case who were indicted in August, along with real estate and bank accounts, on 173 counts by a grand jury in Highland County Common Pleas Court. The indictment was a result of a continuing investigation into alleged patterns of corrupt activity involving a drug pipeline law enforcement says is responsible for bringing heroin into Highland County via Greenfield. Tesse Everhart, Jennifer Forsha, Roderick Croy, April Elliot, Frank Parr and Bradley Rickman have pleaded guilty to charges from the indictment.
In hearings over the past several weeks, defense attorneys have remarked that there is a considerable amount of evidence that must be reviewed in the case, including video and audio recordings.
Binegar is scheduled for a pre-trial on Nov. 22. He is also facing a separate charge of aggravated burglary. A final pre-trial in that case is scheduled for Nov. 2, with a trial scheduled for Nov. 10.
Daniels reserved the right to make pretrial motions until she has an opportunity to review transcripts of evidence from the case, which are still being transcribed.
Bill Armintrout, attorney for Greg Smith, a defendant in the engaging in a pattern of corrupt activities case, withdrew as counsel on Wednesday, citing a conflict of interest. Armintrout told the court that he had represented one of the witnesses in the case.
Coss told Smith that because there were so many defendants in the case that all of the local attorneys were either representing co-defendants or had conflicts of interest, so he would have to go outside Highland County to find an attorney to appoint.
Two defendants from an engaging in a pattern of corrupt activities case appeared for pre-trial hearings Wednesday in Highland County Common Pleas Court.
Multiple trial dates had been scheduled for defendants in the case that resulted from a months-long covert drug operation by multiple law enforcement agencies. On Wednesday, Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss said that the court would not go through the expense of having multiple trials for the same case.
"I'm not going to try (this case) six times," Coss said. "Twice at most."
Defendants Quentin Binegar and Greg Smith appeared in the custody of the Highland County Sheriff's Office. In addition to the first-degree felony charge of engaging in a patter of corrupt activities all defendants are facing, Binegar and Smith are charged with trafficking in drugs in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in drugs, and possession of drugs;
Binegar's attorney Susan Zurface Daniels had asked for a continuance in the case, which had been scheduled for trial on Nov. 7, and the court rescheduled the date for Nov. 28. Co-defendants Thomas Peters, Donna Gillam and Stephanie Ford are scheduled to stand trial on Nov. 28, as well.
There were 11 defendants in the case who were indicted in August, along with real estate and bank accounts, on 173 counts by a grand jury in Highland County Common Pleas Court. The indictment was a result of a continuing investigation into alleged patterns of corrupt activity involving a drug pipeline law enforcement says is responsible for bringing heroin into Highland County via Greenfield. Tesse Everhart, Jennifer Forsha, Roderick Croy, April Elliot, Frank Parr and Bradley Rickman have pleaded guilty to charges from the indictment.
In hearings over the past several weeks, defense attorneys have remarked that there is a considerable amount of evidence that must be reviewed in the case, including video and audio recordings.
Binegar is scheduled for a pre-trial on Nov. 22. He is also facing a separate charge of aggravated burglary. A final pre-trial in that case is scheduled for Nov. 2, with a trial scheduled for Nov. 10.
Daniels reserved the right to make pretrial motions until she has an opportunity to review transcripts of evidence from the case, which are still being transcribed.
Bill Armintrout, attorney for Greg Smith, a defendant in the engaging in a pattern of corrupt activities case, withdrew as counsel on Wednesday, citing a conflict of interest. Armintrout told the court that he had represented one of the witnesses in the case.
Coss told Smith that because there were so many defendants in the case that all of the local attorneys were either representing co-defendants or had conflicts of interest, so he would have to go outside Highland County to find an attorney to appoint.
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