Man gets 10 years for killing 1-year-old son

PRICE HILL - A man who shook his 1-year-old son to death while visiting the boy and his mother in April will spend 10 years in prison.

Oscar Rodriguez, 24, who is from Central America, pleaded guilty Tuesday to killing Esbin Reynoso and was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped a murder charge that carried a penalty of up to life in prison and charges of child endangering and felonious assault.

Police say Esbin was violently shaken April 3 and suffered retinal tearing and bleeding on the brain. He died a week later.

Father arrested after shaking injures infant

ROSSMOYNE - A Rossmoyne father was arrested Tuesday and charged with shaking his 7-week-old son and causing serious injuries.

William E. Swigeart, 26, of the 4200 block of Williams Avenue, was charged with felonious assault, Hamilton County sheriff's deputies said.

Swigeart caused broken bones in the infant's leg and a serious brain injury, detectives said. The incident occurred Saturday night at the Williams Avenue residence, the sheriff's office said.

The infant remains at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, where he was in stable condition Wednesday.

Ex-fire captain takes plea deal in fatal crash

MAYSVILLE - A former captain with the Covington fire department has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors who accuse him of causing a fatal wreck late last year.

John Scott Rigney of Park Hills pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter this month, thus avoiding a trial that was scheduled to begin today. The charge is a class C felony that carried a penalty of five to 10 years in prison.

Commonwealth's Attorney Stockton Wood of Maysville has recommended that Rigney serve eight years in prison. Circuit Judge John McNeil will sentence Rigney Jan. 29.

Police arrested Rigney Dec. 30, 2002. The accident occurred just before 10 p.m. on the AA Highway near Augusta. Kentucky State Police say Edwin M. McDowell, 39, of Dover died when his car crashed head-on with a pickup truck driven by Rigney.

Rigney, a 12-year veteran of the Covington fire department, has since lost his job with the city.

Baby sitter accused

of selling drugs, too

MIDDLETOWN - Police say a 24-year-old man was selling drugs from a home here while baby-sitting three children, ages 5-9. But Curtis Wright, who previously was convicted of drug trafficking, said he had begun selling drugs only "to buy Christmas presents and help with the bills."

Wright was charged with possession of crack cocaine, possession of marijuana and possession of criminal tools after a search of his home in the 1900 block of Queen Avenue. His housemate, Tamika Conlee, 26, was charged with permitting drug abuse.

Police said they seized crack cocaine, marijuana, a police scanner and $200 cash in a search Wednesday.