Butler pleads guilty to theft
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A former member of the Highland County Board of Elections and Hillsboro Planning Commission pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of theft in Highland County Common Pleas Court.
As previously reported in the Highland County Press, Dennis Butler, 68, of Hillsboro, was indicted by a Highland County grand jury in November. The indictment was the result of an investigation by detectives with the Highland County Sheriff's Office into allegations that Butler was embezzling money from a Concord Township church, the Sugartree Ridge Church of Christ, where he had been serving as treasurer for a number of years.
Thursday, with visiting Judge Steven Beathard presiding, Butler's attorney, David Pence, entered a guilty plea to one county of theft, a felony of the third degree.
A jury trial had been scheduled to begin Thursday, but a plea agreement was reached.
As a result of the plea agreement, the state of Ohio dismissed a count of tampering with records, a felony of the third degree.
David Henry, of the Highland County Prosecutor's Office, recommended that Butler be sentenced to two years in prison, and pay $200,000 restitution. He also recommended Butler be eligible for judicial release after "the appropriate amount of time."
Beathard accepted the plea and ordered that a presentence investigation take place. A sentencing hearing was scheduled for April 6. Bond was continued until the sentencing hearing.
Following the hearing Ronnie Purdin and Chad McConnaughey, representatives from the Sugartree Ridge Church of Christ, spoke briefly with the Highland County Press on the proceedings.
When asked if the church was satisfied with the plea agreement, Purdin said, "We're not sure yet. We leave it to the court to do its thing. I put my faith in God and in the judge."
During the time period of the theft, Jan. 1, 2003 to Sept. 1, 2009, Butler was working as a local insurance and investment agent. Part of the theft case involved misappropriation of funds from annuities owned by the church that Butler managed as an investment advisor. Butler turned himself into the Sheriff's Office on Nov. 4, 2009, and was arraigned in Highland County Common Pleas Court via video arraignment, where he was given a $10,000.00 bond.
A former member of the Highland County Board of Elections and Hillsboro Planning Commission pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of theft in Highland County Common Pleas Court.
As previously reported in the Highland County Press, Dennis Butler, 68, of Hillsboro, was indicted by a Highland County grand jury in November. The indictment was the result of an investigation by detectives with the Highland County Sheriff's Office into allegations that Butler was embezzling money from a Concord Township church, the Sugartree Ridge Church of Christ, where he had been serving as treasurer for a number of years.
Thursday, with visiting Judge Steven Beathard presiding, Butler's attorney, David Pence, entered a guilty plea to one count of theft, a felony of the third degree.
A jury trial had been scheduled to begin Thursday, but a plea agreement was reached.
As a result of the plea agreement, the state of Ohio dismissed a count of tampering with records, a felony of the third degree.
David Henry, of the Highland County Prosecutor's Office, recommended that Butler be sentenced to two years in prison, and pay $200,000 restitution. He also recommended Butler be eligible for judicial release after "the appropriate amount of time."
Beathard accepted the plea and ordered that a presentence investigation take place. A sentencing hearing was scheduled for April 6. Bond was continued until the sentencing hearing.
Following the hearing Ronnie Purdin and Chad McConnaughey, representatives from the Sugartree Ridge Church of Christ, spoke briefly with the Highland County Press on the proceedings.
When asked if the church was satisfied with the plea agreement, Purdin said, "We're not sure yet. We leave it to the court to do its thing. I put my faith in God and in the judge."
During the time period of the theft, Jan. 1, 2003 to Sept. 1, 2009, Butler was working as a local insurance and investment agent. Part of the theft case involved misappropriation of funds from annuities owned by the church that Butler managed as an investment advisor. Butler turned himself into the Sheriff's Office on Nov. 4, 2009, and was arraigned in Highland County Common Pleas Court via video arraignment, where he was given a $10,000.00 bond.