Are You Living Next Door To A Killer, Armed Robber Or Sex Offender?

In Franklin County, there are currently 140 defendants on house arrest awaiting trial, sentencing, or on probation for felonies like murder, rape, and armed robbery.

Defendants-Probationers on HA as of 1-25-22

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Here is the current list provided by the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. If you are interested in a particular name, you can use this search tool. Copy and paste this link. https://fcdcfcjs.co.franklin.oh.us/CaseInformationOnline/

The bigger issue is how the court keeps tabs on these dangerous individuals to prevent them from committing additional crimes.

House arrest means just that. Except for court-approved travel like doctor's appointments, individuals on house arrest cannot leave home.

Individuals on house arrest must wear an ankle electronic monitoring device (EMD). A GPS tracking device provides real-time data; an EMD only alerts a House Arrest Probation Officer when an individual is outside of the house.

Recently, I told you the story of Antoine Phillips. Blendon Township Police detectives say that on May 18, 2021, Phillips kidnapped and murdered his girlfriend, 35-year-old Jamie Fulton. At the time of the crime, Phillips was on house arrest on charges of raping an ex-girlfriend's 11-year-old daughter.

Matt Cravens worked for the Franklin County Juvenile Court's Electronic Monitoring Unit from 2015 to 2020. "It (house arrest) can be an effective tool in the arsenal, as part of a rehabilitative strategy—one component. But in and of itself, it is not a deterrent or all end-all. Primarily when it isn't enforced."

Cravens recalls juveniles on house arrest for offenses like aggravated robbery and rape going AWOL for "hours at a time. Motions of violations would be filed, the majority of which would be dismissed, even for those higher level offenders."

Cravens says that juveniles and adults should only be placed on house arrest for non-violent felonies. "I found that EMD's worked best for the low-level, first-time type of offender. They were wide-eyed and new to the system and took direction better, especially with parents who cared and worked as a team with us to enforce the monitor."