Chapter 8 - The Trap Springs
The attempted home invasion and violation of the protective orders sealed Grant and Evelyn Sterling’s fate beyond any possibility of legal redemption.
Bail was permanently revoked. Both were remanded to the Franklin County Corrections Center to await trial under maximum security custody. Marcus Vance abruptly resigned as their defense counsel forty-eight hours later, citing an irreconcilable conflict of interest after federal prosecutors subpoenaed his firm’s escrow records.
The newly appointed public defenders had no cards left to play.
Two months later, I sat in the conference room of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Across from me sat Assistant U.S. Attorney David Vance (no relation to Marcus) and County Prosecutor Karen Mitchell.
“They are offering a global plea package,” Mitchell explained, sliding the proposed agreement across the table for my review. “Grant will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder, three counts of felony domestic assault, eight counts of procurement fraud, and twelve counts of tax evasion. He will accept a non-parolable sentence of twenty-eight years in federal prison.”
“And Evelyn?” I asked.
“Evelyn has refused every plea deal,” Mitchell replied with a grim smile. “She insists she is the victim of a coordinated extortion conspiracy run by you and the city inspectors. She is going to trial on thirty-two felony indictments, including solicitation to commit murder, wire fraud, witness tampering, and racketeering. The federal sentencing guidelines put her away for thirty-five to life. At her age, it’s a death sentence in prison.”
“Will she be forced to give up the offshore accounts?”
Prosecutor Vance nodded. “Every single asset. The forensic audit uncovered eleven million dollars hidden in Nevis, the Cayman Islands, and Panamanian real estate holdings. Under the civil forfeiture provisions, all of it will be seized. Restitution will be paid first to the homeowners whose foundations were compromised, second to the unpaid subcontractors, and the remaining balance—approximately three point two million dollars—will be awarded to you as direct civil restitution for catastrophic domestic battery and economic coercion.”
I looked out the high window of the federal courthouse, watching the early spring sun break through the thick Ohio clouds. The ice on the Scioto River was beginning to fracture, breaking into harmless white floes drifting south.
May you like
“No plea deals for Evelyn,” I said quietly. “Let the jury hear the tapes. Let this town see who she really is.”
***
