Greenfield man sentenced to nearly a decade in prison

A Greenfield man facing charges in four separate Highland County Common Pleas Court cases this year was sentenced Thursday to at least nine and a half years in prison. 

As previously reported, Michael Certain, 44, was among 12 individuals charged as the result of Highland County Task Force investigations in February. He was indicted by a Highland County grand jury on 12 charges, including four counts of aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine, one second-degree felony, two third-degree felonies and one fourth-degree felony; three counts of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, two third-degree felonies and one fifth-degree felony; two counts of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, both fourth-degree felonies; two counts of possession of a fentanyl-related compound, both fourth-degree felonies; and one count of theft by deception, a first-degree misdemeanor.

In April, Certain was indicted and charged with one count of having weapons while under disability, a third-degree felony; and a forfeiture specification.

A month later, a grand jury handed down charges in two separate indictments. In the first indictment from May, Certain was charged with one count each of aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine, a third-degree felony; aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a third-degree felony; possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fourth-degree felony; and tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony. In an unrelated indictment, Certain was charged with failure to appear, a fourth-degree felony.

According to court records, Certain entered guilty pleas to at least one charge in three of the four cases Thursday, with the failure to appear cause dismissed.

For the Task Force case, Certain pleaded guilty to three of the four counts of aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine, including the second-degree felony count and both third-degree felony charges. The other nine charges were dismissed.

The second-degree felony charge alleged on or about Feb. 12, 2024, Certain “did knowingly sell or offer to sell” meth “in an amount equal to or exceeding five times bulk amount but less than 50 times bulk amount” while “knowing or having reasonable cause to believe the methamphetamine was intended for sale or resale by the offender or another person.” The third-degree felony charges are for alleged incidents on or about Oct. 18 and Oct. 23, 2024, where Certain was accused of selling or offering to sell meth in an amount equal to or exceeding bulk amount but less than five times bulk amount.

Certain pleaded guilty to the April indictment, which alleged that on or about Feb. 4, 2025, Certain “did knowingly acquire, have, carry or use a firearm.” He had not “been relieved from disability” due to a previous conviction of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, the indictment alleged.

Finally, for the May indictment, Certain pleaded guilty to the third-degree felony meth trafficking charge, which alleged that on or about Jan. 28, 2025, Certain sold or offered to sell meth in an amount equal to or exceeding bulk amount but less than five times bulk amount. 
 
Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss sentenced Certain to seven and a half years in prison for the February meth trafficking case (five years on the second-degree felony charge, 18 months on one third-degree felony count and 12 months on the other), consecutive to 12 months in the weapons under disability case and 12 months in the May meth trafficking case.s  Certain had 86 days of jail time credit, all from the February meth trafficking case.

Under the Reagan Tokes Law, Certain could serve up to an additional two and a half years in prison, for a total possible maximum sentence of 12 years.

Certain was additionally ordered to pay $920 in restitution to the Highland County Task Force for the February meth trafficking case, while the shotgun alleged to have been in Certain’s possession in the disability case was ordered forfeited to the Task Force.

A jury trial for Certain's Task Force case from February had been scheduled to begin Monday.

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