Indictments from the January session of the Richland County Grand Jury have shed light on the case of the body of a deceased male found on the side of Hull Road in Mansfield on April 5, 2014.
Richland County Assistant Prosecutor Dan Benoit stated that 28-year-old Robert Nevel was indicted on charges of corrupting another with drugs, abuse of a corpse, failure to report a death, tampering with evidence and trafficking in heroin.
The body of 29-year-old Michael D. Mitchel of Mansfield was discovered lying against a power pole in the 600 block of Hull Road the morning of April 5, 2014. A report from the Richland County Sheriff’s Office indicated drug use was suspected.
“Corrupting another with drugs means essentially (Nevel) did knowingly by any means administer or furnish to another or induce or cause another to use a controlled substance and thereby cause serious physical harm to the person or cause the other person to become drug dependent,” explained Benoit. “It is alleged (Nevel) provided or made available to some degree the victim with drugs.”
Aggravated burglary, rape
The Grand Jury also indicted 23-year-old Christopher Collins with charges related to a Sept. 2 incident at a Mansfield residence. Collins was indicted for two counts of aggravated burglary, rape, gross sexual imposition, four counts of aggravated robbery with firearm specification, four counts of felonious assault with firearm specification, and grand theft of a motor vehicle with firearm specification.
According to Benoit, the male and female victims were home with children on Sept. 2 when sometime through the course of the evening the female victim was awakened by an individual wearing a mask. The individual allegedly dragged the female victim off her couch and began to assault her, demanding money.
“There were other suspects in the home at the time, and the male victim attempted to assist the female victim but was then assaulted by the other assailants there,” said Benoit. “There was an allegation of firearm use. The female victim was continuously assaulted and eventually, it’s alleged,that a sexual assault/rape took place. The defendants fled in what appears to be the victim’s vehicle. It appears drugs were taken from the home.”
Collins could face a penalty in excess of 50 years in prison if convicted of all charges.
Theft in office
A 14-count indictment was served to 45-year-old David Roll of Mansfield, eight counts of theft in office and six counts of tampering with records. Benoit said Roll was employed as a safety and health consultant for the division of Safety and Hygiene with the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, and mostly worked from home.
“He was required to self-report his hours and submit paperwork in regards to the performance of his duties,” said Benoit. “Special agents who investigate these types of matters received a tip, and throughout that investigation it was discovered that at various times in which Mr. Roll was reporting he was actually doing work or acting within the scope of his employment he was not doing so, and was reporting those hours as good hours of work.”
Benoit explained the tampering of records charges have to do with the submission of paperwork that was later found to be inaccurate or untrue. At the time of the investigation Roll was still employed, Benoit said it appears Roll is not working any longer.
Terrorist threats, menacing
Also indicted was 56-year-old Mark Smith on charges of making terrorist threats, aggravated menacing, menacing by stalking and two counts of inducing panic. But according to Benoit, the charges are not as exciting as they sound.
“The statute makes it ‘terrorist threats’ – it’s not something necessarily that we’ve attached as a title, that’s just what it’s called underneath the law,” Benoit explained. “It’s kind of a sexy title but it doesn’t mean ISIS is doing anything. It fits into a section of the statute so that’s how it gets labeled.”
Benoit stated on Oct. 10 the alleged victim made contact with the Mansfield Police Department stating he had been receiving threatening voice messages from an unknown individual. The voice messages were making threats to the victim, the caller himself, and to institutions within the area. Police were able to track down Smith, who is alleged to have made the calls.
