Woman gets another shot at treatment

0

A Greenfield woman who has had at least two previous chances for treatment will get one more chance with the STAR program.

Kassie Brigner, 20, in Highland County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday was ordered to successfully complete the residential treatment program, which she is set to begin attending in January, according to judge Rocky Coss.

Brigner was initially granted intervention in lieu of conviction last year on a heroin possession charge. But according to court records she was terminated from that in February and in April was sentenced to community control and ordered to complete treatment. After Brigner was arrested last month, she admitted to violating her probation.

She previously waived her right to an attorney and on Tuesday proceeded without counsel.

Brigner, who is currently serving a jail term that is up in a couple weeks, asked the judge to allow her to be released after the end of the jail term so that she could spend Christmas with her family.

But Coss told Bringer she is to stay in jail until she goes to STAR. The judge said he understood her wanting to be home with her family for the holidays, “but this is about you coming to grips with your addiction.”

The judge said it was not about Christmas, but about Brigner being alive for future Christmases with her family.

In another hearing, Christopher Rhoades, 23, Leesburg, admitted to violating his probation by failing to report, not reporting contact with law enforcement, and not reporting a new address, among other issues.

Rhoades was sentenced to five years community control three years ago after pleading guilty to fourth-degree felony arson. He was ordered to pay more than $8,000 in restitution. According to the court on Tuesday, he still owes more than $7,000.

Prosecutor Anneka Collins said the Adult Parole Authority, which supervises Rhoades on his community control, was requesting a prison term.

Defense attorney Bill Armintrout pointed out that Rhoades missed four report dates in three years and that he was in contact with his probation officer when he missed. He said the law enforcement contact amounted to an officer asking Rhoades to voluntarily leave a property. And he said that the defendant has had difficulty with employment, but Armintrout said that a family member was securing a job for Rhoades and the defendant was also able to make a $1,000 payment on his restitution Tuesday.

Coss said he could understand why probation was “unhappy” with Rhoades, and noted that the defendant’s problem appeared to be his attitude. The judge said he had no prior record and had committed no new crimes.

Rhoades was given “one last chance,” words that the judge wrote in Rhoades’ file on Tuesday, he said.

He was ordered to serve 15 days in jail, with credit for 13 days already served. He will be released on Thursday, Coss said. The judge also set conditions that Rhoades’ attempts to become employed must be shared with his probation officer weekly, that he is to accept the first job offered to him, and he is to make a minimum $200 per month payment on the remaining restitution.

“It’s time for you to get serious about what is going on,” Coss said.

In other hearings, Lindsay Lemons, 23, Washington C.H., pled guilty to fourth-degree felony trafficking in heroin in the vicinity of a school. She is to be sentenced in January.

David A. Mayse, 18, Mount Orab, pled guilty to four counts of receiving stolen property, three fourth-degree felonies and one misdemeanor. He is also scheduled to be sentenced in January.

Reach Angela Shepherd at 937-393-3456, ext. 1681, or on Twitter @wordyshepherd.

Kassie Brigner speaks to the judge in Highland County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2015/12/web1_Brigner.jpgKassie Brigner speaks to the judge in Highland County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday.
Leesburg man also gets ‘one last chance’ on probation

By Angela Shepherd

[email protected]

No posts to display