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Athens Prosecutor

ATHENS, Ohio — The Athens County Prosecutor’s Office recently released the following reports:

* Glenn E. Rutter III, 37, of Athens, was sentenced Sept. 8 to a mandatory three-year prison term after pleading guilty to first-degree felony illegal manufacture of drugs, second-degree felony illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs and fifth-degree felony counts of aggravated possession of drugs and possessing criminal tools.

Rutter appeared before Athens County Common Pleas Court Judge George P. McCarthy, who also ordered him to pay a $7,500 fine. Upon his release, Rutter will be subject to five years of community control.

This case was investigated by the Major Crimes Unit.

* Jelani Walker, 36, of Detroit was found guilty Sept. 14 of second-degree felony counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs and aggravated possession of drugs after a two-day jury trial before Athens County Common Pleas Court Judge Patrick J. Lang.

After presenting four witnesses, First Assistant Prosecutor Meg Saunders rested on Sept. 14. Walker took the stand as the only witness for the defense. The jury came to a verdict after about two hours, 45 minutes of deliberations.

Prosecutor Keller Blackburn said: “On March 23, 2016, Walker was transporting 285.727 grams of Pentylone, a schedule I controlled substance in his rental vehicle from Michigan. Walker fled from troopers after being stopped and ended up in the gravel pit pond just off of U.S. 33 by Cochran’s near The Plains. … I am pleased with the outcome of this case and proud of the work that Ms. Saunders put into obtaining a conviction.”

The court set bond at $100,000, with no 10 percent allowed pending sentencing, and ordered a pre-sentence investigation. This case was investigated by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

* Vincent A. Reeder, 32, of Athens, was sentenced by Lang on Sept. 15 to four years, 11 months, in prison after pleading guilty to one fifth-degree felony count of obstructing official business and previously pleading guilty to four fifth-degree felony counts of possession of criminal tools.

The criminal tools case was investigated by the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, while the obstructing case was investigated by the prosecutor’s office.

* Jerry E. Campbell II, 44, of Nelsonville, Ohio, was sentenced by Lang Sept. 29 to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to two indictments. The first charged him with second-degree felony robbery, third-degree felony counts of theft from an elderly person or disabled adult and illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs; two fourth-degree felony counts of failing to provide for a functionally impaired person; one fourth-degree felony count of domestic violence; and a fifth-degree felony count of illegal use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or WIC Program benefits. The second charged him with third-degree felony intimidation of an attorney, victim or witness in a criminal case.

This case was first reported to the Nelsonville Police Department, who then requested that the prosecutor’s office take over the investigation.

“Campbell was found to have taken the now deceased victim’s Social Security benefits and nutritional assistance program benefits,” Blackburn said. “He also failed to provide health care, food, and other basic necessities while she was in his care.  When she was near death, Campbell essentially dumped the victim at the Hocking Valley Community Hospital in Logan. She was transferred to Riverside in Columbus, where she succumbed to her failing health caused by improper nutrition at the hand of Campbell.”

* Gerald W. Hammon Jr., 42, of Glouster, Ohio, was sentenced by Lang on Sept. 29 to 10 years in prison for violating community control.

The 10-year term was the underlying sentence for Hammon’s July 2015 conviction of a first-degree felony count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity for his role in a drug ring. Hammon was placed on five years of community control, but prosecutors say that in March, he failed to notify his supervising officer of his address and failed to report to the Adult Parole Authority. His whereabouts were unknown until he was arrested on a warrant in August and was found in possession of heroin in a resulting search.

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