Glouster Man Sentenced For Involvement In Drug Ring
By: Curtis Feder
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GLOUSTER, Ohio (WOUB) – A man in Glouster was sentenced to five to seven and a half years in prison for his involvement in leading a drug ring in and around the Glouster and Perry County areas.
Roger Rutter, 51, was indicted in March for charges of engaging in corrupt activity and aggravated possession of drugs, both second-degree felonies. He then went on the run, and was arrested weeks later by local authorities.
After spending 123 days in jail on a $1 million bond, Rutter entered a plea deal. In that agreement, he pleaded guilty to the two felony charges and resolved six other unrelated misdemeanor charges.
Rutter has an extensive criminal record, including being convicted in 2016 of multiple drug-related felonies related to the death of a woman who had a heroin overdose after Rutter and his wife gave her drugs in their house.
In May, fellow co-leader of the drug ring, Leesha Santek, pleaded guilty to the same charges and received the same five to seven and a half year prison sentence.
“Roger Rutter is a repeat offender who continued to promote the drug trade and drug addiction problem in the area. For at least the next five years, he will not be able to do that,” said First Assistant Prosecutor Meg Saunders. “For today, justice was served with this sentence.”
Neither Rutter nor Santek are eligible to apply for early judicial release.