Casey Graham, 38, of Independence, Missouri, was sentenced to six (6) years in prison after a hearing by the Henry County Circuit Court for shooting and killing a man in Finey.
The case stems from a report of an individual shot in southeast Henry County on November 10, 2020. The Henry County Sheriff’s Office responded and investigated the incident. The victim, Kenneth Isenberg, was found in his home with three gunshot wounds, including one to the head. He was pronounced deceased after being transported from the scene by emergency medical personnel. The state charged Graham with murder.
A four-day jury trial began on October 31, 2022. Prosecuting Attorney LaChrisha Gray represented the State of Missouri and Graham was represented by counsel.
At the conclusion of the jury trial, the jury found the defendant guilty of a lesser included offense of voluntary manslaughter for knowingly causing the death of the victim under sudden passion. Voluntary manslaughter is a class B felony. The range of punishment for a class B felony is a minimum of five (5), but up to fifteen (15) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
A sentencing hearing was held on January 30, 2023 before the Circuit Court of Henry County. Prosecutor Gray requested the Court sentence Graham to the maximum sentence of fifteen (15) years and the defense requested probation be granted.
After hearing from both sides at the hearing, Henry County Circuit Judge M. Brandon Baker sentenced Graham to six (6) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
There is no statutory mandatory minimum percentage of that sentence that the defendant must serve prior to his release on parole.
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Several pending cases have been resolved in the first few weeks of the new year resulting in inmates of the Henry County Jail moving on to the Missouri Department of Corrections.
Henry County Prosecuting Attorney, LaChrisha Gray, states, “Concluding cases more quickly, especially if the defendant is being held in custody or there is a victim, is a priority for my office.”
Prosecutor Gray adds, “We have also been working diligently to identify those defendants that would be appropriate for our recovery court program, an onerous, but extremely reliable way to rehabilitate offenders with addiction issues.” At least one new participant has been accepted into the recovery court since the beginning of the year.
Among other cases, the following defendants’ cases have reached conclusion since the start of the year.
Dylan Avery, 27, of Deepwater, was sentenced to ten (10) years in prison for robbery in the second degree, stealing a recreational vehicle, and possession of a controlled substance. Avery was also found to be a persistent felony offender.
Christopher Palmer, 46, of Windsor, was sentenced to ten (10) years for burglary in the first degree and domestic assault in the second degree. The defendant in this particular case was ordered to complete the long-term treatment program in the Missouri Department of Corrections. If he successfully completes the more than yearlong program, he could be released by the Court with the remainder of his sentence suspended and placed on supervised probation.
Gage Williams, 25, of Clinton, was sentenced to seven (7) years in prison for domestic assault and endangering the welfare of a child. This was Williams’s first felony conviction.
Brandon Rollett, 38, of Clinton, was sentenced to six (6) years in prison for theft of a motor vehicle, tampering with a motor vehicle, and possession of a controlled substance. Rollett was also found to be a persistent felony offender.
Anthony Babcock, 35, of Blairstown, was sentenced to seven (7) years in prison for receiving stolen property, possession of a controlled substance, and resisting arrest.
The number of years each offender will serve prior to parole will be determined by Missouri Probation and Parole and based on the type of charges and the defendant’s prior commitments to the Missouri Department of Corrections. Persistent felony offenders are those that have been found guilty of two or more prior felonies.
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Roger L. Peek Jr., 24, of Clinton, Missouri has been sentenced to thirteen (13) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for statutory sodomy of a child less than twelve years of age.
Prosecuting Attorney, LaChrisha Gray, filed charges in June 2019 based on an incident that occurred in May of that year in which Peek had been babysitting several children. On that occasion, Peek engaged in a sexual act with one of the children.
The case had been set for trial a number of times since 2019, but ultimately Peek entered a plea of guilty to statutory sodomy.
On January 17, 2023, a sentencing hearing was held before the Circuit Court, wherein the Court heard argument from both sides and sentenced the defendant to thirteen (13) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
The law requires Peek to serve eighty-five percent (85%) of the sentence before being eligible for parole. Peek will have to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. Peek will also be subject to a special form of supervision as a sex offender for his life.
Prosecuting Attorney LaChrisha Gray states, “No amount of years in prison will ever make up for the damage and trauma to the victim or the victim’s family. Protecting the victim from further anguish by being subjected to the demands of the justice system, but also ensuring that the victim and other children could continue through childhood while the defendant is in custody was of paramount importance.”
