By Meladi Brewer
DailyAdvocate.com
GREENVILLE — Three people were sentenced in the Darke County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday. Judge Jonathan P. Hein presided.
Carissima Rapier, of Greenville, appeared in court via video conference for judicial release on the original charge of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the third degree. After the lawyers and judge agreed Rapier is not a threat to society — as she has no history of violence — she was able to talk about her rehabilitation.
“I realized addiction has run my life, and this is no one’s fault but my own,” Rapier said. “I let pain rule me. I let taking medications form into an addiction. I regret that so much. I’ve looked at the situation and realized my health has got to come first, and I want to change.”
Judge Hein brought up Rapier’s jail reports stating that how she treated the jail staff said a lot, and even though Rapier had an incident of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Judge Hein decided to go with his original instincts to use her as a positive example for the sobriety community.
“Your influence on the sobriety community is my motivation to granting this motion,” Judge Hein said.
Rapier was granted judicial release with 60 months of supervision and 100 hours of community service. She must seek and maintain employment and attend all required education programs.
“You have to take care of yourself and then maybe help teach others,” added Hein.
Marc Mayes, of Greenville, entered a guilty plea via video conference with the jailhouse on one count of illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto grounds of a detention facility, a felony of the third degree, and one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a felony of the fifth degree. The third charge of one count of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree, was dropped due to a plea deal.
Mayes had faced up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fee on count one and a year and $2,500 add on for count two of the indictment, all of which are not mandatory. Due to limited space in the jail, however, Hein decided to sentence Mayes to 12 months on charge one, a felony of the third degree.
“This will free up space for lesser offenses in the jail,” Hein said.
Due to the level of the charge, Hein pushed ahead on the sentencing for the second charge of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. Mayes was sentenced to a mandatory payment of fines and may apply for judicial release in the future.
Gage B. Bradburn, age 30, of Greenville, appeared for a video sentencing on one count of burglary, a felony of the fourth degree. Judge Hein sentenced Bradburn to 15 months in the House of Ohio Rehabilitation and Corrections with 50 days credited.
Before Bradburn was sentenced, Hein discussed the case and pretrial supervision. Although risk of recidivism is low, and the victim was not harmed during the burglary, he explained why Bradburn’s sentencing was harsher than post trial supervision.
“You have a long list of prior offenses,” Hein said. “From 2015 to 2020, you didn’t seem to be able to make any progress. You crossed a line when you intimidated the probation staff and their family when you started asking questions about accusing him of improper conduct. I don’t take that kindly.”
Hein stated if Bradburn does not have respect for the probation staff, then he does not see the benefit or need to have him be supervised by them. Upon completion of Bradburn’s 15-month sentence, he could be subject to three years of optional post-release control.
To contact Daily Advocate Reporter Meladi Brewer, email [email protected].