By Cornelia Grace
Harrison News-Herald Reporter
CADIZ — The court of common pleas began Tuesday, April 18, with the acceptance of a plea deal by 37-year-old Deaven Dafney. Dafney pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a felony in the third degree, and an amended charge of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a felony in the fourth degree.
The state, represented by prosecuting attorney Lauren Knight, requested Dafney be sentenced to 12 months on count one and nine months on count two, to be served consecutively.
Judge T. Shawn Hervey found Dafney to be guilty, considered the facts and circumstances of the case, and considered Dafney’s Ohio Risk Assessment. “Considering all those things, the court finds that it is necessary for a prison sentence in this matter,” Hervey said. “Community-based controls would be inadequate to punish the defendant or protect the community. The court also finds that consecutive sentences are necessary in that no one sentence would adequately punish the defendant for his crimes.”
Dafney was sentenced to the state-recommended 21 months in an Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction facility.
Tad Guzman appeared via video call from the Harrison County Jail on a motion from the state to revoke his community-based controls. The offer for resolution from the state is for Guzman to complete the program at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center. However, the last time Guzman was evaluated for an EOCC placement, he was not eligible. Guzman admitted violating his probation.
He will need to complete a new risk assessment and EOCC evaluation. If he is accepted, then he will go to complete the program. If he is not eligible again, then the court will have to decide on a different sanction, which will likely be local incarceration.
William Burton is doing well in his treatment in-lieu-of conviction program. Burton is roughly halfway through the program. Community Corrections Officer Sarah Costine reported Burton has been attending all necessary classes, but has some fees yet to pay.
Hervey encouraged Burton to keep going, “It sounds like you’re doing what you’re supposed to do. You’ve done your community service… get your fines and costs knocked out, stay clean and sober, and when we come back in October, you’re done,” Hervey said.
Orean Sutton is working on his treatment programs and has been doing well, despite a few bumps in the road. When asked if there was anything else he needed to help him succeed in the treatment program, Orean responded, “I believe court’s done everything they can.” He commended the probation officers and said that he felt he was able to stay on track using all the tools provided.
Heather Sutton appeared in court, in the custody of the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office. Heather was recently arrested for violating CBC. The state alleged that the probation office has had no contact with Heather since November, during her intake into the community-based controls program. She has not completed a drug-and-alcohol assessment as court ordered nor made any payments toward her financial obligations to the court.
The state requested a monetary bond due to Heather’s record of not showing up to court and the lack of contact with her for the last five months. Public Defender C. Adrian Pincola was conditionally appointed to Heather’s case since she has qualified in the past for appointed council and likely will again. Since Heather is likely not able to make any bond, Pincola requested that the court allow her to seek inpatient treatment if she goes directly from the jail to treatment. The court took this suggestion under advisement.
Bond was set at $75,000 with no 10-percent option.