Mercer County man sentenced after being discharged from drug court
According to a press release, 35-year-old Richard Allen Cecil, Jr, of Bramwell, was sentenced on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 to seven to 11 years in prison for failing to complete the requirements of the Mercer County Drug Court program.
Mercer County man sentenced for witness tampering conspiracy in sex trafficking case
The press release stated that in October 2021 Cecil was charged by a Mercer County Grand Jury, and pleaded guilty to Unlawful Possession of a Fireman by a Prohibited Person, Driving on Revoked license for DUI- Third Offense, and Attempt to Commit a Felony in December 2021.
As part of his original sentence, Cecil was allowed to be a part of the Drug Court program. According to the press release, Cecil was discharged from the program and his sentenced was reimposed. Once he finished the GOALS program he was allowed back into Drug Court, but the release stated that after he reportedly violated Drug Court rules, Cecil was discharged from Drug Court again.
Our court system and the Drug Court program bent over backwards the last couple of years to help Mr. Cecil get his life back together but he continued to break the rules. He left us with really no choice but to ask the Court to reimpose the original sentences.
Brian K. Cochran | Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney
Two people face charges after reported child abduction in Summers County
According to a press release, Cecil was sentenced to five years for Unlawful Possession of a Fireman by a Prohibited Person, one to three years for Driving on Revoked license for DUI- Third Offense, and one to three years for Attempt to Commit a Felony. The sentences will be carried out continuously.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CBS News
6 hours ago
- CBS News
Yolo County grand jury report finds homelessness is up, not enough being done to address it
A recent Yolo County grand jury report found that not enough is being done to address the growing homeless population countywide. The county's most recent Point in Time (PIT) count revealed that homelessness is up 26% from 2022, a concerning trend. The report also found that the county's Homelessness and Poverty Action Commission, created to help streamline the county's homeless response, has 'fallen short' of its intended purpose and the actions today do not reflect the county's 2023-2026 strategic plan to address homelessness at the more than midway point of the ambitious timeline for improvements. "Its lack of effective coordination has hindered the county's overarching goal of a unified and impactful approach. Compounding this challenge is the absence of dedicated Yolo County funding specifically allocated to facilitate this crucial collaborative function," the grand jury report reads. So how are cities responding? Local faith leaders in Davis say that critical investments are needed to help the homeless, arguing that they feel the city relies too much on faith-based organizations to help the homeless without any city funding. "We've seen an increase in need from year to year to year," said Shoshana Zatz, president of HEART of Davis. HEART is a faith-based nonprofit running only on donations and volunteers to help serve the city's homeless population. "Unfortunately, the services that exist in Yolo County and specifically in Davis just cannot serve them all... can't keep up," said Zatz. The group right now runs a pilot program for "safe parking," and their permit from the city was just extended through the end of the year. HEART is able to offer the unhoused a spot to sleep in their cars overnight. To Zatz's shock, all of the program's current participants are seniors. "It's like your grandma, thinking about your grandma living in her car. It's tragic, really," said Zatz. In the grand jury report, investing in more safe parking sites countywide is one of many recommended responses to help address the upward trend of homelessness across Yolo County. Yolo County's cities were given 90 days to respond to the report. At Davis' City Council meeting Tuesday night, multiple people brought up homeless help in public comment. "Like a parking lot, a campground so people can transition from outside life," one man said at the podium, suggesting help for the unhoused. Council declined to take up a discussion on the grand jury report Tuesday night, but they did unanimously approve their official response. In it, the city pointed to HEART of Davis' parking program as part of the solution, writing, "While the pilot is still in its early stages, initial observations suggest that it offers a stable, safer environment for individuals residing in their vehicles while they work toward longer-term housing." Zatz says the grand jury report hit the nail on the head and more has to be done countywide to serve the homeless. It starts with an investment in affordable housing, she says, if the crisis is to be addressed meaningfully. "There is a lack of communication and coordination. There is quite a bit of duplicated effort and wasted time and energy where we should all be working as one," said Zatz. Other recommended actions by the grand jury countywide include that the Board of Supervisors take a more active leadership role in addressing homelessness and that the county needs a dedicated mental health outreach team to help the unhoused. On a positive note, the report praised Paul's Place in Davis for its supportive housing services for the homeless.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Browns sign undrafted receiver Isaiah Bond to 3-year deal after he wasn't charged in sexual-assault case
The Cleveland Browns reportedly signed receiver Isaiah Bond to a three-year, $3 million deal Monday after he was not charged as part of a sexual-assault investigation. Bond, 21, was expected to be a mid-round pick in 2025 NFL Draft, but went undrafted after being arrested on a sexual-assault charge just two weeks before the draft. Details regarding Bond's arrest were scarce, and Bond claimed the accusations against him were untrue. Bond turned himself in and was able to post $25,000 bail following the arrest. With his legal situation unresolved, Bond went undrafted and failed to catch on with a team as training camps opened. But his situation changed Thursday. Bond was "no-billed" by a grand jury in Texas, meaning there was not enough evidence to charge Bond. Shortly after he was no-billed, Bond announced he was signing with the Browns. The team responded to that statement saying they were "doing their diligence" and that a deal would not be signed Thursday. Bond flashed big-play potential in two seasons at Alabama before transferring to Texas ahead of the 2024 season. Bond didn't rack up elite reception numbers, snagging just 34 balls during his junior season. But he gained 540 yards and scored five touchdowns with those catches. Bond talked up his elite speed ahead of the 2025 NFL Combine, and while he didn't break the 40-yard dash record, he turned in a solid 4.39-second performance. That likely would have been enough to get him drafted in the middle of the draft if not for his arrest. Now that he's reportedly under contract, Bond will need to get caught up with the Browns after missing a large chunk of training camp. He's unlikely to make an impact early in the season due to his late start, but will look to work his way up a shaky Browns depth chart once he's fully integrated into the team's system.


CBS News
5 days ago
- CBS News
Colorado man pleads guilty to distributing mushrooms after teenager's deadly fall from construction crane
A Colorado man has pleaded guilty to his role in connection with a 15-year-old's death after a deadly fall from a construction crane in Boulder last year. Benjamin Harmon pleaded guilty on Friday to two counts of distribution of a controlled substance to a minor- schedule I or II, sexual exploitation of a child, and criminal attempt to commit money laundering. Investigators said the 15-year-old fell from the crane at a construction site at the University of Colorado Boulder campus on June 20, 2024 while "experiencing strong hallucinogenic effects" of psilocybin mushrooms purchased from Harmon three days earlier, according to a grand jury indictment against Harmon. The teenager fell "from an extreme height," as stated in the indictment. The Boulder County Coroner's Office found amounts of Psilocin, the compound in many psychedelic mushrooms which produces mind-altering effects, in the teen's blood. According to the Boulder District Attorney's Office, the Grand Jury investigation confirmed that Harmon distributed psilocybin to the teen. The investigation also revealed additional victims, 19 of them children, to whom Harmon had distributed drugs. The district attorney said one of those victims was sexually assaulted by Harmon, and from another victim, Harmon had obtained sexual abuse materials. All of the victims were high school students in Boulder County. Harmon was arrested Oct. 19, 2024 after he was indicted by a Grand Jury. "The CU Boulder Police Department would like to thank the Boulder County District Attorney's Office for its rigorous pursuit of justice in this case," said CUPD Chief Ashley Griffin in a statement. "CUPD is committed to protecting our campus and surrounding community, and we will continue working tirelessly with our partners to ensure that those who exploit and harm others are held fully accountable." On Friday, a judge sentenced Harmon to 35 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. District Attorney Michael Dougherty stated, "The teenager who died was loved by his family and friends. He had his whole life in front of him, until the defendant began preying upon him and other high school kids. Although this guilty plea and sentence is what the family wanted from the criminal case, the outcome will never fill the void caused by this defendant. I want to thank the law enforcement and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to advance this investigation. But for their efforts, this criminal prosecution would never have happened; it would have been classified as a tragic fall. Because of them, the true nature and depth of the defendant's conduct was discovered and he was brought to justice."