Pubdate: Tue, 03 Jul 2001 Source: Evansville Courier & Press (IN) Copyright: 2001 The Evansville Courier Contact: http://courier.evansville.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/138 Author: Byron Rohrig LENGTHY DRUG SENTENCE MODIFIED Toshio Roach, whose 1992 drug conviction led indirectly to a city police narcotics officer's imprisonment for theft and attempted extortion, could be a free man in six months. Roach, 43, sentenced in January 1993 to 50 years in prison after he was found guilty of conspiring to deal cocaine, was ordered released from the state prison system Monday and directed to spend a year at the SAFE House. Since state sentences are routinely cut in half with good behavior, Roach could be out by the eighth anniversary of his sentencing, which occurred when he was 35. Roach is being released early because he asked for a sentence modification. Roach's attorney, Dennis Brinkmeyer, Prosecutor Stan Levco and Circuit Judge Carl Heldt all agreed to the modification. When Roach was sentenced, Deputy Prosecutor Jonathan Parkhurst said a sentence less than 45 years would "diminish the seriousness" of the crime. On Monday, Parkhurst noted Roach has done "well since he was in prison." "This is not unlike other drug cases in which sentences have been modified in hopes the individual has been rehabilitated." Circuit Court Magistrate David Kiely on Monday warned Roach the sentence modification would be revoked if Roach violates any rules at the SAFE House. But if Roach maintains a clean record during his six-month "real time" stay, Kiely told him the remainder of the sentence would be suspended. Roach's case also led to the arrest of former city narcotics officer Richard Whitlow, who attempted to extort $100,000 from Roach's father, Harris Roach, who was in the courtroom Monday when the change in his son's sentence was granted. Police arrested Whitlow near an East Side motel. Whitlow was picked up just after officers saw him pick up a "bait box," which he was told contained $100,000 left by Harris Roach. Harris Roach, a police officer in the Air Force for 23 years, had reported to police he had received a note and a phone call from someone who said he could make evidence in his son's case disappear for money. Roach's report led to Whitlow's arrest. Whitlow was convicted of attempted extortion in the Roach case and of theft. Whitlow was found guilty of stealing a gun, jewelry and at least $6,000 from another drug dealer. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and actually served five years. Levco said the Whitlow case did not influence his agreement to a change in sentence. "Basically, (Roach) got a very long sentence and he had a good (prison) record ... I thought he was a good candidate for that," Levco said. Roach's wife, Debra Ann Rankin-Roach, was released from prison two years ago. She served a lesser sentence in connection with a drug operation in which she and Toshio Roach brought cocaine to the area from Indianapolis and Atlanta. The couple have three children ages 16, 14 and 13. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk