A Nelsonville man was sentenced to three years in prison for his involvement in a 15-hour standoff with law enforcement officers in September.
Danny L. Simms Sr., 60, who lives off State Route 278, faced a maximum of five years and a minimum of one year for a jury conviction on felony intimidation charges.
Simms was previously indicted on four felony charges in October, after he barricaded himself inside a gravel hop on his family's property to ward off officers' attempts to arrest him and his son on contempt of court charges on Sept. 13.
Those charges had stemmed from a civil dispute in which Simms Sr. and his son, allegedly, blocked a culvert on their property that they claimed was leaking sewage.
About 15 hours passed before Simms was arrested -after the FBI and crisis negotiators from the State Highway Patrol were called to assist the Athens County Sheriff's Department.
Special Prosecutor P. Eugene Long said, The sentence the judge imposed was precisely the sentence I suggested
so I am satisfied with it.
Simms will serve three years in prison and was ordered to pay $1,000 in fines and court costs. Athens County Common Pleas Judge Alan Goldsberry said Simms received three years in prison instead of the minimum of one because he is old enough to know how his actions affect other people.
This was not an 18 or 19-year-old defendant Goldsberry said. This was an ex-Marine and (he) should have known the impact of his behavior on the officers who were visiting him Goldsberry said. The charges were for intimidation
and the officers knew he was a Marine and that he knew how to use a weapon. He said 'I have a gun and don't come any closer.'
However, Goldsberry said, the fact that Simms had never been convicted on criminal charges prior to this incident helped his case. I took into account he had been a law-abiding citizen for most of his life
he said.
Goldsberry delayed Simms' prison transport for 14 days so he would be able to get the immediate attention of the court of appeals
Goldsberry said.
Ric Daniell, Simms' Attorney, could not be reached for comment.
-Megan Cotten
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Megan Cotten
