MANSFIELD — Below are criminal court cases which have been resolved in Richland County Common Pleas Court in December.
The list includes any case which Richland Source has published as an indictment, stories which first began publishing here in February 2024.
December 2025
— Eric Ferguson, 45, was sentenced to four years and 11 months in prison for five charges: three counts of aggravated possession of drugs and two counts of possession of a fentanyl-related compound. Ferguson was also ordered to pay $120 to the Mansfield Police Department crime lab and is subject to up to two years of post-release control. He was granted 23 days of jail credit for time already served at the Richland County Sheriff’s Office.
In a separate case, Ferguson received a 12-month prison sentence for possession of cocaine and two counts of receiving stolen property. He is subject to up to two years of post-release control and was granted 24 days of jail credit for time already served at RCSO.
— Forrest Elliott, 47, received three years of community control for one count of aggravated possession of drugs. Elliott was also ordered to pay $40 to the MPD crime lab and is subject to up to two years of post-release control.
— John Hunt, 42, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for two counts: domestic violence and endangering children. Hunt also received one to three years of mandatory post-release control and was granted two days of jail credit for time already served at RCSO.
— Jessica Riggs, 33, received a 12-month prison sentence for three charges: aggravated possession of drugs, possession of cocaine and possession of a fentanyl-related compound. Riggs is subject to up to two years of post-release control and was granted 72 days of jail credit for time already served at RCSO.
— Dekota G. Thompson, 21, was sentenced to 12 to 16 years in prison for eight charges: aggravated trafficking in drugs, aggravated possession of drugs, trafficking in cocaine (two counts), possession of cocaine (two counts), trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound and possession of a fentanyl-related compound. Thompson must forfeit a firearm and $3,255 to the State of Ohio. Thompson also received two to five years of mandatory post-release control and was granted 286 days of jail credit for time already served at RCSO.
— Kelcey Morris, 29, received three years of community control for failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer and aggravated possession of drugs. An additional count of failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer was dismissed. Morris’ driver’s license was suspended for five years beginning March 26, 2025. She was also ordered to pay $40 to the MPD crime lab. Morris is subject to up to two years of post-release control.
— Thomas Luschei, 25, was sentenced to three years in prison for two counts of domestic violence. Luschei is subject to up to two years of post-release control and was granted 232 days of jail credit for time already served at RCSO.
In a separate case, Luschei received three years of community control for one count of aggravated possession of drugs. He is subject to up to two years of post-release control.
In an additional separate case, Luschei was sentenced to three years of community control for one count of assault and one count of obstructing official business. He is subject to up to two years of post-release control.
— Aaron M. Crittenden, 25, was sentenced to one year and 11 months in prison for four charges: aggravated trafficking in drugs, aggravated possession of drugs, trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound and possession of a fentanyl-related compound. Crittenden was ordered to pay $80 to the MPD crime lab and is subject to up to two years of post-release control.
In a separate case, Crittenden received a three-year prison sentence for four charges: aggravated trafficking in drugs, aggravated possession of drugs, trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound and possession of a fentanyl-related compound. He was ordered to pay $80 to the MPD crime lab. Crittenden is subject to up to two years of post-release control and was granted four days of jail credit for time already served at RCSO.
— Dangelo McKinney, 23, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for an amended aggravated possession of drugs charge. McKinney was ordered to pay $200 to the MPD crime lab and is subject to up to two years of post-release control. He was granted 110 days of jail credit for time already served at RCSO.
— Raymond Mounts, 36, received an eight-month prison sentence for one count of possession of cocaine and one count of obstructing official business. Mounts was also ordered to pay $40 to the MPD crime lab. He is subject to up to two years of post-release control and was granted 80 days of jail credit for time already served at RCSO.
— Alegend Grose, 23, was sentenced to two to three years in prison for one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs and one count of aggravated possession of drugs. Grose was ordered to pay $40 to the MPD crime lab and also received 18 months to three years of mandatory post-release control. Grose was granted four days of jail credit for time already served at RCSO.
In two other separate cases, Grose had a single count of aggravated trafficking in drugs dismissed without prejudice.
— Randy Heater, 61, received a nine-month prison sentence for one count of aggravated possession of drugs. Heater was ordered to pay $80 to the MPD crime lab and is subject to up to two years of post-release control. He was granted 15 days of jail credit for time already served at RCSO.
— Jesse Stevens, 35, was accepted into Richland County Substance Abuse Treatment Court on Dec. 17. Stevens was indicted on one count of possession of cocaine in June 2025. Stevens’ case has been transferred to SATC for all further proceedings.
— Fredrick Watson, 45, received a 12-month prison sentence for one count of domestic violence. Watson also received one to three years of mandatory post-release control and was granted 191 days of jail credit for time already served at RCSO.
— Demetrrius Rucker, 50, was sentenced to 17 to 22 1/2 years in prison for seven charges: trafficking in cocaine (three counts), possession of cocaine (three counts) and possession of a fentanyl-related compound. Rucker must also forfeit $26,715 and five cellphones to the State of Ohio. He was also ordered to pay $240 to the MPD crime lab. Rucker received two to five years of mandatory post-release control and was granted 183 days of jail credit for time already served at RCSO.
— Rikia J. McLaughlin, 30, was sentenced to nine months in prison and three years of community control, to be transferred to Summit County, for one count of illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto grounds of a specified governmental facility and one count of trafficking in marijuana. McLaughlin was also fined $1,500 and must pay $35 to the Ohio State Highway Patrol crime lab. McLaughlin is subject to up to two years of post-release control and was granted five days of jail credit for time already served at RCSO.