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[Angel Who Cares]

Cousin of Haleigh Cummings' father sentenced to 15 years on drug-trafficking charge
She pleaded no contest in case; judge said she was not qualified for youthful offender consideration
April 27, 2010 - 11:06am
<snipped>
Hope Sykes was 18 when she was arrested in January on a charge of trafficking after she, her cousin Ronald Cummings and Misty Croslin were recorded selling 25 hydrocodone pills in an undercover officer's car.

Sykes had been out of jail less than two weeks on a possession charge when she was arrested in the trafficking case, which Circuit Judge Terry LaRue said disqualified her for youthful offender consideration that would have meant a much shorter sentence.

Family members gasped and Sykes was clearly shaken at the sentence imposed after an hour of testimony on her behalf by her family and others. Cummings was in the courtroom as a defense witness but not called.

A one point during the hearing, the prosecutor played a tape of an angry and unremorseful Sykes telling her mother, "if they think I am bad now wait until I get out."

Hope Sykes (center) is taken away in tears after being sentenced by Judge Terry LaRue to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison on drug charges at the Putnam County Courthouse on Tuesday morning.

Photo gallery: Hope Sykes is sentenced to 15 years
http://photos.jacksonville.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=988854&CategoryID=57821&ListSubAlbums=0

Article:
http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/...gs-father-sentenced-15-years-drug-trafficking

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Report: Relative of Haleigh Cummings gets 15 years for drug trafficking
Hope Sykes is the 18-year-old cousin of the father of missing Putnam County girl Haleigh Cummings.
12:20 p.m. EDT, April 27, 2010
<snipped>
A relative of missing Putnam County girl Haleigh Cummings was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking, news Web sites are reporting.

Hope Sykes is an 18-year-old cousin of Ronald Cummings, the father of missing Putnam County girl Haleigh Cummings, Gainesville.com is reporting.

Sykes pleaded no contest.

Article:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...s-relative-sentenced-20100427,0,4820656.story

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Cummings' cousin gets 15 years in drug case
Misty's attorney not sure what sentence means to his client
April 28, 2010 - 12:11am
<snipped>
Hope Sykes' tearful pleas before a Putnam County judge Tuesday weren't enough to stave off a 15-year prison sentence in a drug-trafficking case that is embroiling the family of missing HaLeigh Cummings. Her mood was in stark contrast to the angry defiance the judge heard in a phone call Sykes made to her mother last month after agreeing to plead no contest to the trafficking charge. "I'm not going to boot camp," she said in the recording played for the court. "I'm telling you right now they think I'm bad now, wait till I get out of that."

Cummings has been charged with five counts of trafficking and Croslin has been charged with eight in the monthlong investigation that began in December. Croslin's brother Hank "Tommy" Croslin Jr. and a friend Donna Brock, also face single trafficking charges in the same investigation.

After Sykes' sentencing, Misty Croslin's attorney, Robert Fields, said it was difficult to weigh what the 15-year prison term meant to his client's case. "I'll have to digest it," he said. "Judges rule on a case-by-case basis and this is a different case."

Sykes and her family were clearly shaken and tears ran as her mother buried her face in her hands. More than half a dozen people spoke in Sykes' behalf, which her attorney, Marcella Beeching, told the judge attested to a "fantastic support system."

Prosecutor Jacquelyn Roys requested the minimum mandatory sentence and said Sykes was an active participant in the drug sale. Roys also played the recorded jail call for the judge, with Sykes profanely railing against any stiff sentence. "Well, stupid us if we let her out, because she already told us what was going to happen," Roys said.

Beeching has 30 days to appeal the sentence.
*Much more at link!

Article:
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2010-04-28/cummings-cousin-gets-15-years-drug-case

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Hope Sykes sentenced for her part in drug transaction
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 2:20 AM EDT
<snipped>
Hope Sykes, a relative of Haleigh Cummings, was sentenced to 15 years behind bars Tuesday morning for one count of drug trafficking. Her family looked on as she stood before a nearly full courtroom, turning to peer into the crowd as her grandmother held another family member, crying as the 18-year-old's sentence was announced.

Sykes faced one count of trafficking in Hydrocodone following a monthlong narcotics investigation that led to the arrest of her and four others, including Haleigh's father, 26-year-old Ronald Cummings and 18-year-old Misty Croslin. Sykes was the only one to plead no contest to the charges.

Her attorney sought a youthful offender consideration in an effort to reduce Sykes' sentence. Circuit Judge Terry LaRue said she was not eligible because she was 18 at the time of the transaction and was on parole for possession charges when the arrest was made. "The youthful statute is helpful in many cases to place youthful offenders in which they had no or little control - but that's not the case here," LaRue said.

Article:
http://www.palatkadailynews.com/articles/2010/04/28/news/news01.txt

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Video: Cousin gets 15 years 2:34
[ame]http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/crime/2010/04/28/ng.sykes.sentenced.cnn[/ame]

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Cummings seeking bond reduction in drug case
Published: Friday, May 7, 2010 at 9:58 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, May 7, 2010 at 9:58 a.m.
<snipped>
Ronald Cummings, the father of missing Putnam County girl Haleigh Cummings, has requested a hearing today to consider reducing his bond on drug trafficking charges, according to the 7th Circuit State Attorney's Office.

Cummings, 26, is charged with five counts of trafficking narcotics, with bond set at $900,000. A reduction hearing is set for 2 p.m. in Putnam County, but a possibility exists it could be canceled, said Chris Kelly, spokesman for the State Attorney's Office.

Article:
http://www.gainesville.com/article/...=Cummings-seeking-bond-reduction-in-drug-case

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Cummings' bond-reduction hearing canceled
Published: Friday, May 7, 2010 at 12:55 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, May 7, 2010 at 12:55 p.m
<snipped>
Cummings, 26, is charged with five counts of trafficking narcotics, with bond set at $900,000. A reduction hearing was set for 2 p.m. in Putnam County but was canceled and has not been rescheduled.

Article:
http://www.gainesville.com/article/...itle=Cummings-bond-reduction-hearing-canceled

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Dad: Misty, Hank 'Didn't Hurt Haleigh'
Parents Of Misty Cummings, Hank Croslin Jr. Talk About Haleigh Case
POSTED: Friday, May 7, 2010
UPDATED: 6:44 pm EDT May 7, 2010
<snipped>
"I know my daughter and son didn't hurt Haleigh," said Croslin, 41, the father of Misty Cummings and Hank Croslin Jr. "My heart goes out to Haleigh's parents, Ronald (Cummings) and all of them. I don't know what happened that day. I still don't know what happened."

On Friday, he talked to Channel 4 for the first time. "They didn't hurt that baby. That's the one thing I can tell you," he said of his son and daughter. "They don't have the heart to do that." "It's like the whole world has condemned us, and we didn't do nothing." "She just cries and says, 'Mom, I don't want to be in here forever,'" said Lisa Croslin, the mother of Misty Cummings and Hank Croslin Jr., of her conversations with Cummings. "Like I told her, there's nothing I can do."

For five months, Croslin Sr. and his 40-year-old wife have called a tiny room home. They stay in a board house in Putnam County and are unemployed. They said they don't think anyone will hire them because of their reputation. "You live one day at a time," Croslin Sr. said. "You just hope you can make it through that day." When asked how much money they have in their pockets, Croslin Sr. said, "Not a penny." Croslin Sr. said: "I think they'll be found innocent, yeah, of not harming her. I don't know what happened -- what they know or what happened -- but I know either one of them didn't hurt that baby."

Video: Hank Croslin Sr. Talks Haleigh Case
http://www.news4jax.com/video/23490815/index.html

Article:
http://www.news4jax.com/news/23488043/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

New era, new media, new records shred privacy in sensational criminal cases
Public records begin to distort opinion, right to a fair trial
Posted: May 9, 2010 - 12:12am
<snipped>
At her sentencing hearing last month on drug-trafficking charges, 19-year-old Hope Sykes was heard in a recorded declaration saying prosecutors "can kiss my - - -" over a possible six-year sentence as a youthful offender. The judge who instead sent Sykes to prison for 15 years never mentioned the comment, but the intent of the prosecutors who played the recording was clear. "They thought it was ammunition against her remorse," Bill Bookhammer, the chief assistant public defender in Putnam County, said of the prosecution. Using defendants' words against them is not a new tactic in courtrooms. Increasingly, however, jailhouse phone calls, images from inmate visits with family and recordings in police operations are aired in public where they can steer opinion.

The undercover drug operation that caught Sykes and Cummings in January was separate from the investigation of Haleigh's case but drew attention because others arrested were Misty Croslin, who was home with Haleigh the night of the disappearance and called 911, her brother Hank "Tommy" Croslin Jr. and her friend Donna Brock. Images taken in undercover cars, of visits between family and those arrested have been widely broadcast since then. "I find it hard to believe that opinions have not been formed by an overwhelming majority of the people in Putnam County," Smith said. Had it not been for Haleigh's disappearance, "few people had interest in another drug-trafficking case in rural Florida," he said. "There are some real dangers of injustice if we do not get a handle on this," he said.

Some, including St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar, argue that phone calls and visits between inmates and family members are private even though inmates know their calls are recorded. He noted that many people held in county jails have been accused of a crime but not been found guilty. "It's kind of a fine line between privacy and the public's right to know," he said. Hank Croslin Sr., father of Misty and Tommy, said people frequently recognize him and his wife on the street. Both are shown in jail visitation recordings talking with their children. "I don't see how they can get a fair trial here," he said. "If they had a jury trial, I know she wouldn't get a fair trial."

Protection of the process
Under Florida public records law, information gathered by police is broadly available if the agency or prosecutors do not believe it is pertinent to an investigation, which is redacted by the agency. Bookhammer, the public defender, said inmates do not have an expectation of privacy in phone calls and visits. Croslin Sr. said his son will no longer discuss his case in calls home and his daughter says less.
*MUch more at link!

Article:
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/...ords-shred-privacy-sensational-criminal-cases

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Ronald Cummings Heads To Court For Drug Charges
Haleigh Cummings Still Missing
POSTED: 6:09 am EDT May 13, 2010
UPDATED: 8:35 am EDT May 13, 2010
<snipped>
The father of a missing Putnam County girl heads to court Thursday to talk about his drug trafficking charges.

Ronald Cummings will take part in a pre-trial hearing at 9 a.m. in Palatka.

Video: Labs To Analyze Haleigh Cummings Evidence
http://www.wesh.com/video/23210351/index.html

Article:
http://www.wesh.com/news/23538675/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Lawyer: Plea deal likely in Cummings drug case
Published: Thursday, May 13, 2010 at 10:57 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, May 13, 2010 at 10:57 a.m.
<snipped>
Ronald Cummings, the father of missing Putnam County girl Haleigh Cummings, is set to stand trial on drug-trafficking charges on July 19, but his lawyer said Cummings will likely agree to a plea deal before then.

Speaking after a hearing before Circuit Judge Terry LaRue in Palatka Thursday morning, attorney Terry Shoemaker said Cummings, 26, will likely agree to plead to three of five charges. Each of those three charges carries a minimum mandatory prison sentence of 15 years.

Two of the five charges - involving trafficking in larger amounts of prescription drugs - carry a minimum sentence of 25 years. Shoemaker said the tentative deal in the works involves dropping those two, more severe charges. The plea deal might be completed by July 1, he said. Cummings would agree to testify against his co-defendants and would be sentenced after those case went to trial.

Tommy Croslin was scheduled to appear in court for a hearing at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

Article:
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100513/ARTICLES/100519729/1002

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Haleigh Cummings' father negotiating for 15-year sentence in drug case
Ronald Cummings would testify at upcoming trials of codefendants; Misty's brother's recording released
May 13, 2010 - 10:48am
<snipped>
Following a a pretrial hearing in Putnam County where the father of missing Haleigh Cummings was given a July 19 trial date, his attorney said he and Cummings hope to have the deal within two weeks or possibly within a week. An attempt stalled Wednesday to make a deal with the state, said Terry Shoemaker, who is representing Cummings. He said Cummings will agree to testify at trials of Misty Croslin, who was briefly married to Cummings, and her brother, Hank "Tommy" Croslin Jr. The sentencing range would likely be a 15-year minimum mandatory with a possible 30-year maximum, Shoemaker said. As part of the deal, the two most serious trafficking charges against Cummings would be dropped and the sentence would be for the three less serious charges, which are evaluated by the weight of the drugs involved. Shoemaker said negotiations are not finished but part of the expected deal would mean Cummings would not be sentenced until after the Croslins are tried if those cases go to a jury.

Croslin Jr., 23, is scheduled for court this afternoon for a pretrial conference. At his pretrial conference, he could offer to accept a plea agreement if one has been worked out with prosecutors. Otherwise, the judge will assign a trial date and a final date the court will accept a negotiated deal. Misty Croslin, 18, is scheduled for court in June.

In the roughly 9-minute recording released today, Croslin Jr. gave no specific details like that. He starts off telling his grandmother to get his lawyer to him, that he has to do something that should have been done already. He says he's scared and that "He's got to pay for it." He doesn't mention Haleigh or Overstreet's names. But he does respond yes to Hollars' question is it the story Misty's saying about "Joe."

Ronald Cummings talks with his attorney Terry Shoemaker after Cummings was brought into the courtroom Thursday morning for his drug-trafficking case.

Hank "Tommy" Croslin Jr. takes a seat in the courtroom with other inmates Thursday morning after being brought to Putnam County from the jail in St. Johns County.

*Audio Call Included In Article!! (A must listen to audio!!!!)

Article:
http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/...father-negotiating-15-year-sentence-drug-case

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Tommy Croslin Jail Phone Call Fingers Joe Overstreet in Disappearance of Haleigh Cummings
05/13/10
<snipped>
Tommy Croslin is being held in St. Johns County. In mid-April, the search for Haleigh intensified for three days based on a tip from him. Investigators searched an area around a public boat ramp south of Satsuma, the town where Ronald Cummings lived and where Haleigh was last seen. On April 11, he spoke to his grandmother, Flora Hollars, from jail, and that call has now been released. In it, he tells Hollars to get his wife on the phone, asking for his lawyer.

"I need her to get my lawyer down here, it's important," Croslin said. "I have to do something that I should have done a long time ago...just scared, don't want no one to hurt my kids." He has three children. "Do you know, Tommy?" Hollars asked him. "All I know is he's got to pay; he can't get to none of us so it don't matter," Croslin replied. "It ain't me. No, it's not me, she (his wife, Lindsey) should know that...she's already heard the story," he continued. "Is it the story that Misty said?" Hollars asked. "Yeah, that's it." "Joe?" "Yep." "Joe" is Joe Overstreet, a cousin who lives in Nashville, Tenn. As the investigation intensified at the boat ramp, investigators in Tennessee interviewed Overstreet, but did not arrest him. Croslin then told her that "Joe" is "crazy" and tried to kill them all, repeating frequently his concern for his children.

Croslin's attorney, James Werter, said in a statement today that Croslin is not culpable in the disappearance of Haleigh, and has been cooperating since April 11 despite threats to his family.

AUDIO: Tommy Croslin Jail Phone Call 9:13
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=85395095001

Article:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=155977&catid=3

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Trial Date Set For Ronald Cummings
Father Of Missing 6-Year-Old Haleigh Cummings Faces Drug Charges
POSTED: Thursday, May 13, 2010
UPDATED: 11:50 am EDT May 13, 2010
<snipped>
A Putnam County judge has set a tentative trial date of July 19 for Ronald Cummings on his drug trafficking charges.

Cummings' lawyer said Thursday he expects a plea deal to be reached before then.

If convicted, Ronald and Misty Cummings could receive a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years in prison. Hank Croslin, if convicted, could face a minimum sentence of three to 15 years in prison.

Article:
http://www.news4jax.com/news/23541441/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Jailhouse Call Could Help Solve Haleigh Case
Posted: 7:58 am EDT May 14, 2010
Updated: 8:58 am EDT May 14, 2010
<snipped>
Tommy Croslin, the brother of Misty Croslin, told his grandmother during a recorded, jailhouse telephone conversation that one of their cousins killed Haleigh.

"Do you know Tommy?" asked the grandmother. "What's that?" replied Tommy. "Do you know?" repeated the grandmother. "All I know is...that he's got to pay. And he can't get to none of us so it don't matter," said Tommy.

At a pre-trial hearing held Thursday, the attorney for Ronald Cummings says he is working on a plea deal before the trial starts. As a part of the deal, Cummings would agree to testify against Misty and her brother.

The trial is expected to start on July 19th, 2010.

RAW AUDIO: Jailhouse Call Could Help Solve Haleigh Case
http://www.wftv.com/video/23551856/index.html

Article:
http://www.wftv.com/news/23551545/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Hank Croslin Jr.: Relative Killed Haleigh
Croslin's Jailhouse Phone Call To Grandmother Released
POSTED: Thursday, May 13, 2010
UPDATED: 7:00 pm EDT May 13, 2010
<snipped>
In a jailhouse phone conversation released Thursday, Hank Croslin Jr. told his grandmother in Tennessee that his conscience has been eating away at him while sitting at the St. Johns County Jail on drug trafficking charges.

In the call with his grandmother, Flora Hollars, Croslin said he's ready to come clean. "Tell (my mom) I've got to do something that I should have done a long time ago," Croslin said. "I'm just scared and I don't want no one to hurt my kids." "I know it. I know it. Oh my God," Hollars said.

Investigators searched the St. Johns River last month and found physical evidence, which has been sent to a lab for analysis. They are still awaiting the results.

Uncut: Jail Call: Hank Croslin Jr. Talks To Grandmother
http://www.news4jax.com/download/2010/0513/23545865.mp3

Video: Croslin Jailhouse Call Released
http://www.news4jax.com/video/23547034/index.html

Article:
http://www.news4jax.com/news/23544564/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Ronald Cummings Accepts Plea Deal For Drug Charges
Cummings Will Need To Testify Against Ex-Wife As Part Of Deal
POSTED: 6:05 am EDT May 14, 2010
UPDATED: 7:19 am EDT May 14, 2010
<snipped>
It looks as though Ronald Cummings will need to testify against his ex-wife Misty Croslin.

Cummings accepted a plea deal in exchange for his testimony.

He will serve 15 years on drug charges and will also need to testify against Misty Croslin's brother, Hank "Tommy" Croslin, regarding drug charges.

Article:
http://www.wesh.com/news/23550990/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Cummings seeks plea
If deal goes through, Cummings will testify against Misty Croslin, her brother
May 14, 2010 - 12:10am
<snipped>
A Putnam County courtroom was steeped in HaLeigh Cummings' mystery Thursday as players in the case of the missing 5-year-old try to untangle themselves from prescription drug-trafficking charges that threaten to put them away for decades.

In exchange for testimony at possible drug trials of his former wife and her brother, Ronald Cummings is negotiating for a 15-year sentence on the charges, his attorney said after a court appearance that set a July 19 trial date.

Shoemaker said he hopes to have a deal with prosecutors within two weeks or possibly within a week.

As part of the deal, the two most serious trafficking charges against Cummings would be dropped and the sentence would be for the three less serious charges, which are evaluated by the weight of the drugs involved, Shoemaker said.

Cummings wouldn't be sentenced until after the others charged in the case are tried.

The sentencing range would likely be a 15-year minimum mandatory with a possible 30-year maximum, Shoemaker said.

Article:
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2010-05-14/cummings-seeks-plea-0

 

[Angel Who Cares]

&#65279;Cummings Seeks a Deal-Haleigh&#8217;s dad ready to testify against Misty-In return, his attorney seeks shorter prison term on drug charges
Thursday, May 13, 2010 11:42 PM EDT
<snipped>
The father of Haleigh Cummings is seeking a plea deal with a 15-year sentence on prescription drug-trafficking charges, and to get it is willing to testify against his ex-wife and her brother. Attorney Terry Shoemaker said after a pretrial hearing Thursday in Palatka that his client Ronald Cummings hopes to have the deal before trial begins July 19. Shoemaker said he has been working on the plea deal for more than a month following the release of undercover videos that show the transactions. If the deal is accepted, Cummings will face 15-year minimum and a 30-year maximum per charge, Shoemaker said. The two most serious, or &#8220;upper level&#8221; charges would be dropped with Cummings to be sentenced on the three remaining lesser charges.

Hank Croslin Jr. also was in court Thursday for a preliminary hearing for one count of drug trafficking, one count of possession and one count of grand theft. The drug charges were continued to June 3 while the grand theft charge was set for trial on June 21. His attorney, James Werter, said he is &#8220;piggybacking&#8221; with the Misty Croslin case, since the two require the same witnesses. He also said he sought a plea deal. &#8220;The state, so far, has not agreed to negotiate,&#8221; Werter said.

As Croslin walked through the courtroom, he mouthed &#8220;I love you&#8221; to his wife, who said she had not seen him since his arrest Jan. 20. Lindsy Croslin, who was sitting with Croslin&#8217;s mother and father, felt the outcome of his case would be positive in that he will get less than the minimum. &#8220;I&#8217;m just here to support my children&#8217;s father,&#8221; she said.
*More at link!

Article:
http://www.palatkadailynews.com/articles/2010/05/14/news/news01.txt

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Ronald Cummings seems likely to agree to plea
The deal could lead to a 15-year prison sentence for Haleigh's father.
Published: Friday, May 14, 2010 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, May 13, 2010 at 9:06 p.m.
<snipped>
Speaking after a hearing before Circuit Judge Terry LaRue in Palatka on Thursday morning, attorney Terry Shoemaker said Cummings, 26, will likely agree to plead to three of five charges.

Each of those three charges carries a minimum mandatory prison sentence of 15 years. A judge could order them to be served concurrently for a total of 15 years in prison.

The other two charges - involving trafficking in larger amounts of prescription drugs - carry a minimum sentence of 25 years. Shoemaker said the tentative deal in the works involves dropping the two more severe charges.

The plea deal might be completed by July 1, he said. Cummings would agree to testify against his co-defendants and would be sentenced after those cases went to trial.

Article:
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100514/ARTICLES/5141007/1002