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In Pasco Drug Case, 1 Ex-Deputy Sentenced, 1 Pleads Guilty

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By ELAINE SILVESTRINI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 12, 2008

TAMPA - In a drug case, a former Pasco County detention deputy was sentenced this morning to home detention and a former sheriff's deputy pleaded guilty.

The former detention deputy, Rodney Philon, was sentenced to two years of probation, with a requirement that he serve six months of home detention and then perform 75 hours of community service.

Philon pleaded guilty in June to a charge of possession of steroids with intent to distribute.

Philon was arrested at the same time as then-Pasco Deputy Don Riggans, who was charged in a separate scheme to distribute hundreds of thousands of tablets of prescription pain medication.

A federal prosecutor said at Philon's sentencing hearing this morning that Philon contemplated getting involved in the pain medication scheme but was cut out by the other conspirators, "to his benefit."

"I still have questions to this day, if he would have had the means to do it, whether he would have participated in that illegal activity," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Porcelli.

After Philon's sentencing hearing, Riggans and another conspirator, Kevin Massimino Jr., pleaded guilty to drug and weapons charges. Riggans and Massimino face a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of life for possessing a firearm in connection with drug trafficking. That sentence must run consecutive to whatever sentence they receive for conspiracy to possess hydrocodone, a charge that carries up to five years behind bars.

Another man who was arrested with Riggans, Robert Caddick, pleaded guilty in August to conspiring to possess hydrocodone with intent to distribute.

Both Riggans and Philon were arrested in March -- Philon after a five-hour standoff with SWAT members at his home.

U.S. District Judge Susan Bucklew said she has concerns about Philon's reaction to the arrest.

Philon told the judge he didn't know why agents had come to his house and that he surrendered as soon as he realized what it was about.

"Everybody was running around," Philon said. There was "a bunch of guns. … I was really scared until they told me what was going on. That's when I came out. … I'm sorry for the whole incident. I apologize to the agents."

Bucklew said she had trouble believing Philon, given that he was a detention deputy. Porcelli told the judge that Philon telephoned the confidential informant in the case twice before he surrendered.

"I'm disappointed in Mr. Philon's response," the judge said. "I find it incredible that a corrections officer would not know what as going on and would hole up in his house and expose his family to some concern."

The fourth defendant, Massimino, is awaiting trial.

According to Riggans' plea agreement:

Massimino and Caddick conspired to distribute hydrocodone from about January 2005 through about March 16. Riggans entered into the conspiracy in mid-February.

Riggans was a long-time friend of Massimino.

Caddick worked at Medipharm pharmacy and had access to drugs. Caddick took hydrocodone from Medipharm and gave it to Massimino.

Riggans conducted a bogus traffic stop for the conspirators after they arranged to steal $30,000 from a courier working for a Miami buyer. Authorities have said Philon was part of the planning but that Riggans would have to do it because Philon didn't have a patrol car.

The courier was enticed to turn over the money for future drugs after receiving five pills. The traffic stop was designed to scare the courier into fleeing. The conspirators split the $30,000.

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