Rowe pleads guilty, faces 25 years in prison
By Bob Robinson

GREENVILLE – Cory M. Rowe pleaded guilty to Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Robbery, both Felony 1 charges, and a Firearm Specification, on Dec. 9 in Darke County Common Pleas Court. The maximum consecutive penalty could be 25 years and $40,000 in fines. Only the firearm specification makes prison time mandatory, although prison time is presumed necessary on both F1 counts.

Three felony counts were dropped in return for the plea.

Rowe pleaded guilty to trespassing in the Locke residence on Nov. 12, 2009 for the purpose of committing a criminal offense. The charges include inflicting or threatening to inflict harm. Darke County Common Pleas Judge Jon Hein noted Rowe had a firearm and brandished it during the home invasion.

In the plea agreement, Prosecutor Kelly Ormsby said the state will recommend an aggregate sentence of 15 years in prison but the defense would be free to argue the length of the prison sentence. Rowe agrees to cooperate fully and truthfully in the prosecution of co-defendant Robert Gorrell should he decide to plead innocent. No official word has yet been given regarding Gorrell’s plea.

Also in the agreement, Ormsby said the state would not formally oppose any potential motion for judicial release but the family would be free to oppose such a motion.

Hein noted the only mandatory prison sentence would be three years for the firearms specification; Ormsby said the state believed the Aggravated Burglary and Robbery charges also presumed serving a period of time in prison.

Defense attorney Michael Rieman concurred with the state’s presentation, adding however there was also an agreement not to impose sentence prior to disposition of a federal charge relating to firearms. Sentencing in the federal court is scheduled for Dec. 19. The state has recommended prison time handed down in the Common Pleas court be served concurrently with that handed down in federal court.

Upon acceptance of Rowe’s plea, Hein said sentencing will take place a day later on Dec. 20.

“I want to try to comply with the federal officials,” Hein said, “but if for some reason officials don’t move on their date we will still do it on Dec. 20.”

Rowe is currently finishing prison time from Montgomery County. He has also previously served time from crimes committed in Darke and Miami counties.

Published courtesy of The Early Bird