Heroin Dealer Gets Max Sentence; Still Accused Of Child Sex

By Mike Perleberg Shandell Willingham. Photo by Dearborn County Sheriff's Dept. (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - A 42 ½ year prison sentence has been awarded to a West Harrison man who dealt heroin, and even more time behind bars is likely. Shandell Willingham was found guilty of Dealing in a Narcotic Drug (Class B felony), Dealing in a Narcotic Drug in an Amount at Least One Gram, but Less Than Five Grams (Level 4 felony), Maintaining a Common Nuisance (Level 6 felony) and Possession of a Narcotic Drug (Level 6 felony) during a May jury trial in Dearborn County. Willingham, 41, was arrested last October on a drug trafficking warrant out of Hamilton County. When Dearborn-Ohio County Special Crimes Unit detectives searched his home on Morgan Road in West Harrison, they discovered marijuana, heroin, about 40 syringes, steroids, pills, and other paraphernalia. Willingham’s roommate, Kelly Kinnett, was charged with Maintaining a Common Nuisance. A cell phone belonging to Willingham recovered during the home search contained text messages indicating that he was selling “fire”, otherwise known as high quality heroin. The people Willingham was selling to were females between the ages of 17 and 21. During testimony at trial, the heroin buyers identified Willingham as their supplier March through October of 2014. Willingham was back in court on Thursday. Dearborn Superior Court II Judge Sally McLaughlin sentenced him to the maximum 22 ½ years on the charges. Another 20 years was added for a habitual offender enhancement. All time will be served behind bars with no time suspended to probation. McLaughlin cited Willingham’s extensive criminal history in Ohio dating back to the 1990s for giving him the longest sentence possible. “The defendant has chosen to lead a life of making bad choices,” the judge said at the pronouncement of sentence. “This behavior is best addressed through long-term incarceration.” McLaughlin called the girls’ testimony a look at the reality of heroin in the community. Dearborn-Ohio County Prosecutor Aaron Negangard said Willingham preyed on the addicts. “Here you had some very young females from 17 to 21 who are heroin addicts who knew each other through their participation in high school sports. Just a few years ago, these girls are playing high school sports and now they’re heroin addicts. Their addiction was being fed by this very dangerous man, who now, thankfully, is safely behind bars,” Negangard said. Willingham still faces more prison time in Ohio for trading heroin to a woman for sex with her 11-year-old daughter. He and the victim's mother, April Corcoran, were indicted in March. They each face life in prison in Ohio for that alleged crime. He also has a pending Possession of Child Pornography (level 6 felony) case in Indiana. When his West Harrison home was searched in October, detectives allegedly found a cell phone video of Willingham engaging in sexual acts with an 11-year-old girl. Negangard said prosecution with that case will continue. RELATED STORIES: W. Harrison Man Convicted Of Dealing Heroin In Dearborn Co. W. Harrison Resident Accused Of Trading Heroin For Child Sex