Man sentenced to 2 years in prison on charge of tampering with evidence

A man found guilty of tampering with evidence was sentenced to two years in prison Tuesday. Brandon J. Crowe, 38, had been indicted by a Seneca County grand jury after the death of his girlfriend. A jury found him guilty of a charge of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony, in August. Seneca County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Kelbley sentenced Crowe to two years in prison, with credit for 215 days served, Tuesday. During the trial, Rebeka Beresh, assistant Seneca County prosecutor, said Ashley Kramer died of a suspected drug overdose, and Crowe failed to provide Kramer's phone to law enforcement. Crowe concealed or removed Kramer's cell phone to impair its value or availability as evidence in proceedings or an investigation, she said. During Tuesday's hearing, Beresh said Crowe had been given multiple opportunities to hand over Kramer's phone and failed to, and he chose to hide a valuable piece of evidence. Kramer's mother, Pam Hoffert, also spoke before sentencing Tuesday. She said the only thing family members asked of Crowe was to find Kramer's phone and give it back to them. She said she needed to hear Kramer's voice again. "Her phone was part of her," she said. Hoffert said the phone had been returned to her since the trial, and she has been able to look through some of Kramer's pictures. She also played a video. "Of course, it was her being goofy with a friend, but guess what? I got to hear her voice again," she said. Before sentencing, Crowe said he was remorseful for the situation that had happened. Crowe's attorney, Joel Spitzer, said Crowe was not responsible for Kramer's death. The phone wasn't damaged, and there was no deleted data, he said. Spitzer described Crowe as a decorated veteran. "He's here, remorseful," he said. Crowe has been incarcerated at North Central Correctional Institution for a charge in a separate case. He was sentenced to four years in prison on a charge of involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony, according to Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction. A charge of corrupting another with drugs, a second-degree felony, was dismissed, according to Marion County Clerk of Courts records.