Former Williamsburg attorney Ron Reynolds, right, walks into U.S. District Court in London Tuesday afternoon where he was sentenced to 27 months in prison for extortion.
Former Williamsburg attorney Ronnie Wayne Reynolds will have to serve 27 months in a federal prison for his role in a conspiracy with former Whitley County Sheriff Lawrence Hodge to extort money from Reynolds’ clients in exchange for lenient plea deals.
Tuesday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove ordered Reynolds, 54, to self-report to prison on Aug. 30, and agreed to recommend to the bureau of prisons that Reynolds serve his time in McCreary County, which is the closest federal facility to his home.
Reynolds will have to serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence.
After he serves his time, Reynolds will be placed on supervised release for two years, but won’t be ordered to pay a fine that could have amounted to $399,000 because he is forfeiting nearly $200,000 to the government. This represents the proceeds of his conspiracy with Hodge.
"He thinks it was fair and just, and he is happy with the sentence," his attorney, Jerry Cox, said after court.
The conspiracy
On March 16, Reynolds pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right in U.S. District Court in Lexington.
Reynolds agreed to forfeit $199,500 to the government, which represents the net profit he made on the deal.
Reynolds admitted that on at least three occasions between 2004 and 2007, he and Hodge conspired to extort money from individuals charged with felony drug offenses in state court in exchange for favorable consideration in their cases, according to a court document.
Specifically, Reynolds admitted to making cash payments totaling $57,500 to the former sheriff so that Hodge would refer individuals charged with crimes to Reynolds for representation.
Each of these individuals expected and understood that they would face reduced charges and/or they wouldn’t face any period of incarceration if they hired Reynolds based on the sheriff’s recommendation, according to Reynolds plea deal.
In addition, Reynolds, acting on behalf of Hodge, also encouraged these same clients to make forfeiture payments and/or cash donations to the Whitley County Sheriff’s Office.
Reynolds was suspended from practicing law effective March 17, which is the day after he pleaded guilty.
In May, Hodge pleaded guilty to his role in the extortion conspiracy and to a drug and money laundering conspiracy, and is a facing a 15.5-year prison sentence.
Reynolds admits mistake
During a nearly 45-minute sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in London Tuesday, Reynolds told Van Tatenhove that early on in his law practice, he adopted a rule for himself.
"I had a rule, if you don’t feel comfortable with it, then don’t do it," he said, adding it was a rule he should have followed in this case.
When Hodge came to Reynolds home proposing the scheme, Reynolds admitted that he knew it was wrong, and that he violated his own rule of not doing something if he didn’t feel comfortable with it.
"I should have ran him out of the house … I made a mistake," Reynolds told Van Tatenhove. "I would never be involved in anything like this again."
Reynolds said that he was prepared to accept his punishment.
"You are right sir there has to be a punishment," Van Tatenhove agreed.
Reduced sentence
Van Tatenhove imposed the 27-month sentence on Reynolds, which was below the 31-41 month sentencing range, which was outlined in the pre-sentence investigation.
Van Tatenhove noted that there were various factors he considered in granting Reynolds a lesser sentence.
Aside from a few missteps, he noted that Reynolds had no criminal history to speak of.
He said several people wrote letters of support on Reynolds behalf.
"I don’t think you will ever make this bad choice again. I think you are remorseful," Van Tatenhove said. "This is not a case where the public needs to be protected from future crimes you might commit."
He also commended Reynolds for overcoming several personal obstacles in his life, some of which stemmed from his childhood.
At the same time, Reynolds has to pay his debt to society, Van Tatenhove said.
He noted that the conspiracy wasn’t insignificant, and that "we expect more from someone, who achieved what you achieved. … I think a period of detention is necessary."
Leniency requested
Neither the prosecutor nor the defense attorney asked the judge to through the book at Reynolds, nor to let him off without punishment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Dotson noted that Reynolds offense was "certainly troubling" in that it was a criminal enterprise designed to circumvent the legal system in Whitley County.
Dotson also noted while Reynolds was guilty of extortion, he was also being shaken down by a public official at the same time.
Dotson said that he doesn’t think Reynolds will be involved in any future criminal endeavors, asked for a sentence at the low end of the sentencing guidelines, and said the prosecution had no objection to Van Tatenhove considering factors that would make the sentence below the minimum guidelines.
Van Tatenhove noted that a 24-month sentence was suggested.
"I do agree with the U.S. Attorney that Ron was a victim," Cox told the judge. "He was intimidated, threatened and coerced."
Cox said this wasn’t Reynolds normal type of behavior, and that he is being punished in a number of ways.
"He is going to lose the right to practice law probably for the rest of his life," Cox noted. This includes the ability to practice law with his son and daughter, who are both in law school.
Cox asked Van Tatenhove to consider home incarceration or a sentence at a halfway house, which Van Tatenhove rejected.
Also in court
Reynolds was accompanied to court by Ed Oller.
"I’m a good friend. I’m just like a father to him," Oller told reporters.
Oller was one of only two people besides court personnel, government officials or media to attend the sentencing hearing.
The other person, who attended the hearing, identified himself as Simon Michael Vanderpool, who said that Reynolds represented his ex-wife during their divorce.
During the divorce, Vanderpool said Reynolds accused him of taking drugs, and it turned out that Reynolds was himself taking drugs.
Vanderpool said that he wanted Reynolds to see him at Wednesday’s hearing, and that Reynolds should be held more accountable than the average citizen for his crime because he was an officer of the court.
The investigation into Reynolds’ case was conducted by ATF and IRS agents, including ATF Special Agent Todd Tremaine, who headed up much of the investigation.
Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Paul J. Vido, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Christopher R. Pikelis, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service; jointly made Wednesday’s announcement about Reynolds sentencing.
