Criminal Defense Attorney Brad Koffel has secured the release of former Chillicothe High School Principal Jeff Fisher, who had been sentenced to prison in 2019 on two counts of sexual battery.
Mr. Fisher had initially entered an Alford Plea, which allows defendants to assert innocence while admitting prosecutors have evidence for conviction, in exchange for prosecutors’ recommendation that he be sentenced to community control and for dismissal of five additional sexual battery charges. However, the presiding Judge went against prosecutor’s recommendations and sentenced Fisher to a 2-year prison term at the Lorain Correctional Institution in Northeast Ohio.
Read the Chillicothe Gazette’s feature article on Attorney Koffel’s successful motion.
Motion for Release Granted
Fisher’s release was secured through a motion filed by Attorney Koffel in the Ross County Clerk of Courts office. During a hearing on Thursday, February 20, 2020, Attorney Koffel argued Fisher’s incarceration would not serve any useful purpose in his rehabilitation, and pointed to his low risk of reoffending. As the Chillicothe Gazette reports, Koffel noted:
"He has since recanted his denial, he is prepared to admit his wrongdoings, and that is considerable in and of itself. He has served his time his time without incident, like what you would expect of a professional with no criminal history, and he has applied for as many programs as possible, but has found it very difficult, through no fault of his own, to get into specialized programs for sex offenders."
Attorney Koffel also spoke before the Court on Fisher’s character, stating:
"In my 26 years of practice, I've never invited a client to my home until I met Jeff. We walked many miles talking about his life, his career, his family, I know this man and his heart. There's nothing more important to him than going home to his family and his kids."
Ultimately, the presiding Judge granted the motion for judicial release, siding with Attorney Koffel that Fisher was not able to obtain therapy and rehabilitation services, and that supervision outside of prison would allow him to do so. Per the order, Fisher will complete a sex offender program for 1 to 2 years, and will be subject to 5 years of supervision.
Brad Koffel is Managing Partner at Koffel | Brininger | Nesbitt (KBN). A highly experienced and respected defense attorney, Koffel has extensive experience representing clients facing life-altering allegations, including sex crime charges such as sexual battery, and has been trusted by a number of professionals, high-profile individuals, and people across Ohio in high-stakes cases.