PALATKA, Fla. – Ronald Cummings, the father of a girl who disappeared 19 months ago, showed no emotion Friday morning as he learned he will serve 15 years in prison and be fined $200,000 after pleading guilty to selling prescription drugs.
Ronald Cummings, along with his ex-wife, Misty Cummings, her brother, Hank Croslin Jr., and two other people were arrested in January on drug trafficking charges after an undercover drug sting by St. Johns and Putnam County detectives.
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Misty and Hank have pleaded no contest to the charges. Croslin received a 15-year sentence and Misty Cummings faces sentencing in October.
Ronald Cummings, 26, who pleaded guilty in August, could have faced a maximum of 70 years in prison, but reached an agreement with prosecutors that two of five charges he faced would be dropped in exchange for Cummings testifying in any future criminal trial involving the disappearance of his daughter.
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At a 15-minute sentencing hearing, the state did not call any witnesses, but Cummings' mother, Teresa Neves, did make a brief, tearful plea for mercy for her son, who's the father of two.
"I just want you know Ronald is a very good man," she told the judge.
Judge Terry LaRue then sentenced Cummings to two 15-year and one seven-year sentence, but will allow the time to be served concurrently. LaRue also sentenced Cummings to pay the $200,000 fine plus court costs, but that could be modified later by a civil judge.
All three defendants are central figures in the disappearance of Ronald Cummings' 5-year-old daughter in February 2009. After an Amber Alert, weeks of exhaustive searching and an investigation involving more than 4,000 leads, Haleigh remains missing. In April, the Putnam County sheriff said she is likely dead and described the case as a homicide investigation.
Haleigh's mother, Crystal Sheffield -- who was never married to Ronald Cummings and has lived apart for several years -- refuses to believe that the girl is dead.
"It's these liars that's in jail that's telling them that. They have nothing to back that up," Sheffield said outside the courtroom on Friday. "My baby's out there and I know she's going to come home."
Shoemaker said that if Haleigh's body is never found but police are able to make an arrest, Ronald Cummings' testimony could be the basis of a criminal prosecution.