By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
Following an appearance before Judge Steven Shaffer November 19th at the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court in Parsons, Staci Casstevens has had her probation revoked and was taken into custody to serve the remainder of her term following failed urinalysis testing and failure to appear to inpatient treatment.
Garret Crossland-Bolyard of Tucker County Community Corrections testified in court that on September 9th, Casstevens failed a urinalysis test, despite Casstevens’ adamant denial of any drug use. The test was forwarded to a lab that further confirmed the finding of amphetamines, Crossland-Bolyard said.
Following the finding, as is protocol, Casstevens was given the option to enter patient relocation treatment, according to Crossland-Bolyard. At the time, she said she preferred treatment, he said, and arranged for her to enter an inpatient facility. However, when the time came to leave, she never showed, he said.
Crossland-Bolyard said that Casstevens failed to report on November 7th, as well and claimed that there had been issues with her phone and that she had no transportation. By November 10th, Crossland-Bolyard said there was no word and no reporting from Casstevens.
Crossland-Bolyard said that he went to Casstevens home with officers to find she was not there. He was able to find her at her place of employment at Timberline. When tested, Casstevens denied use, but later admitted to use. It was on November 10th, that she also indicated that she did not want treatment, Crossland-Bolyard said.
When placed on the stand, Casstevens said she regretted not being truthful about her drug use during a series of yes/no questioning from Defense Attorney Eric Hensil who appeared via telephone. Hensil was appearing for regular Defense Attorney Timothy Gentilozzi.
“To be honest, I would rather do the jail time,” Casstevens said. “I feel like I’m being pushed to do something I really don’t want to do.”
Casstevens said she felt that she would do best in some sort of outpatient treatment with support. She said that she is not a constant user, rather she just “get stressed out sometimes and doesn’t think clearly.”
Tucker County Prosecuting Attorney Savannah Hull Wilkins asked the court for a 60 day sanction in jail and upon release, require urinalysis testing several times a week for Casstevens. Attorney Hensil requested that Casstevens be released with “the opportunity for some sort of outpatient treatment.”
However, Judge Shaffer took a different approach. “I think everybody knows my opinion on drugs,” Judge Shaffer said.
Judge Shaffer said that Probation is under strict orders to test and if a test comes up positive, they are to offer treatment. Should that offer be refused, then revocation of bond is ordered.
Casstevens was surprised and had to ask for clarification when her sentence was read. She was expecting to be sentenced to 60 days in jail. However, Judge Shaffer made it know that the decision was in his purview and he was obliged to sentence according to the recommendation of the prosecution or defense.
“I’m not going to have people die on my watch,” Judge Shaffer said.
Instead of the sentence of 60 days that Casstevens had expected, Judge Shaffer sentenced her to complete her original sentence of 1 to 10 years in the penitentiary for her conviction on one count of Uttering. She was given credit for time served.
