By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
Just days shy of his 25th birthday, Cory Musselman can’t be blamed if he was celebrating early on Tuesday night. Musselman pleaded guilty earlier that day to third-degree felony robbery and avoided a prison sentence.
The original charge against Musselman was first-degree aggravated robbery for his role in a robbery at Circle K last December involving a BB gun. His co-defendant in the case, Matthew Lust, was sentenced to five years in prison on that same charge last week.
Musselman did not leave the vehicle during the commission of the crime, but has been in the county jail since his arrest on Dec. 22, nearly nine months. He was a free man on Tuesday following his plea.
Musselman was sentenced to five years of community control and fined $2,500. Judge Russell Wiseman sternly reminded Musselman he would impose a 36-month prison sentence should he fail to successfully complete his community control term.
James Banks Jr. also avoided a prison sentence with his guilty plea to a pair of fifth-degree felonies. The 23-year-old Bucyrus man asked for and received placement on the county’s diversion program.
Banks pleaded guilty to breaking and entering into a building on East Rensselaer Street as well as theft. Banks’ pleas to the charges will be held while on diversion. As a condition of diversion, Banks is responsible for repaying the victims $3,440 in order to avoid picking up two felony convictions.
One day after being arraigned in Common Pleas Court on a charge of receiving stolen property, Rodney Barker was back in court on a charge of violating his community control which was filed in response to that new indictment.
The 41-year-old Galion man was placed on community control for violating a protection order in April of this year.