Lima man rejects plea offer in assault case
Jul. 16—LIMA — A Lima man whose criminal case was delayed after he was shot at a Lima bar earlier this year appeared in court Thursday and rejected a negotiated plea deal from prosecutors.
Rico Stafford, 24, reportedly had reached an agreement with prosecutors whereby he would plead guilty to a charge of felonious assault, a second-degree felony with a three-year firearm specification attached, in exchange for the state's dismissal of charges of having a weapon under disability and improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, felonies of the third- and fourth-degree, respectively.
That deal fell through, however, when at the start of a hearing Thursday morning in Allen County Common Pleas Court Stafford's attorney said his client no longer desired to enter into the agreement.
The parties had agreed upon a six-year prison sentence. Assistant Allen County Prosecutor Kyle Thines said the state's offer would expire at the end of the day on Thursday.
The indictment alleges that on or about July 25, 2020, Stafford brandished a firearm and caused or attempted to cause physical harm to Javionte Gilcrease. As the case was working its way through Allen County Common Pleas Court the proceedings hit a snag when Stafford himself was shot outside Marko's Sports and Spirits on the morning of April 3.
Stafford was indicted by a grand jury later that month on the weapons under disability and firearms in a motor vehicle charge. According to court documents Stafford was stopped by a trooper with the Ohio State Highway Patrol on March 1 of this year for a traffic violation. Stafford, who was driving the vehicle, consented to a pat-down for weapons but then shoved the trooper in the chest and fled on foot. Backup units arrived and the Stafford was taken into custody.
Stafford was free on bond when he walked into the courtroom on Thursday morning but left in handcuffs after being served with a warrant for violating the terms of his bond.
Jury trials have been scheduled for Sept. 7 on the felonious assault charge and for Aug. 2 on the recent charges against Stafford.
