Former Warren County corrections officer sent to prison for drug dealing

Judge Noah Powers II on Monday sentenced Garvey to the maximum of 36 months in prison. He was handcuffed and taken away from the courtroom.

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Powers noted that Garvey has a limited criminal history but was “dealing while on the job” as a corrections officer.

He was arrested Feb. 15, 2019, en route to WCI at a northbound Interstate 75 rest stop in Butler County following an investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.

Garvey, hired by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction in April 2015, was in possession of 100 suboxone strips, according to Trooper L. Michael Butler, who is assigned to the patrol’s investigative unit that investigates crimes in the two Warren County state prisons.

Attorney Hal Arenstein filed a sentencing memorandum on behalf of Garvey noting life had been difficult for him since 2016, when he and his girlfriend suffered the loss of a baby just hours after birth.

Garvey’s girlfriend suffered a deep depression with the loss of the child and was unable to work, Arenstein said in the motion.

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“Unfortunately desperate times lead to foolish decisions. When faced with the prospect of losing his house and paying off exorbitant medical bills for (his child’s) birth, Daniel made the decision to engage in drug trafficking,” Arenstein said in the motion. “His involvement was brief but sufficient to result in this prosecution. Clearly, as a result of his crime he was terminated from his job”

Arenstein said since his arrest and termination as a corrections officer, Garvey has obtained employment elsewhere, has been promoted and received two raises.

“There are individuals who clearly will never run afoul of the law again. Mr. Garvey is just such a person. Counsel believes that community control will adequately (punish) Mr. Garvey. It is unlikely the state would ever agree to an expungement of this matter. It will follow him for the rest of his life,” Arenstein wrote.

Garvey told the judge before sentencing he was in a “desperate spot” after the loss of his son.

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