If Judge Edward Guido said it once, he said it twice Tuesday morning.
"Actions speak louder than words," the Cumberland County judge told several defendants who were appearing before him for sentencings, guilty pleas or probation and parole revocations.
However, the message did not get through to several of the individuals, who tried to talk their way out of further punishment.
One former Wormleysburg man's tale was so long and confusing that, at the end, Guido suggested he go into sales once he gets out of prison.
It did not help that Kevin Eugene Shughart has seen the judge a time or two before.
In fact, about halfway through Shughart's story about why he did not stay in contact with the Cumberland County Adult Probation and Parole department, Guido realized just how long he had been dealing with the 48-year-old man.
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"That makes me old, because I remember you as a juvenile," Guido said. "I think I represented you as a juvenile public defender."
"Yes, I believe you did," Shughart said with an embarrassed laugh.
Shughart, also known as "Groovy," was featured in The Sentinel's Most Wanted section in March after failing to appear for his revocation hearing regarding a previous driving under the influence charge.
Jennifer Dzezinski of the Adult Probation and Parole Department told the judge that for several months, Shughart did not respond to any mail left at his home or get in contact with her.
Shughart was on supervised parole on a driving under the influence conviction from February 2009.
He was sentenced to one to five years in prison for the third or subsequent offense and then violated his parole guidelines by not staying in contact with Dzezinski.
To Shughart's credit, he was shuffled around to a couple of different parole officers, but his reasons for not responding to the mail or meeting with Dzezinski at the courthouse once a month did not justify his actions.
Shughart was eventually picked up in South Carolina on a bench warrant and brought to Cumberland County Prison, but he had been in Florida and Ocean City, Md., before that.
Dzezinski said that since he was on supervised parole, Shughart must meet with her face to face at least once a month. She said she visited the address he gave and then began to leave notices that he was to meet her at the courthouse.
In addition, Shughart had not made a payment to the department since.
Shughart gave Guido excuse after excuse for missing the appointments, from saying he didn't know whom to contact to issues he was having with his pancreas.
He also gave a confusing account of various people he was meeting in various locations who then got mad at him and called police.
"Who's on first?" Guido finally asked in the middle of the explanation, causing the courtroom to erupt with laughter.
Shughart continued to fumble through his explanation until finally saying, "It's crazy, your honor."
After taking a hard look at the flustered Shughart, Guido simply said, "The bottom line is you must maintain contact."
The judge then revoked Shughart's previous parole, meaning he will have to serve the remainder of his maximum five-year sentence.
"So what does this mean?" Shughart asked after the order was complete.
Guido explained that he will remain in prison but is authorized for work release and was given credit for his street time.
"You should go into sales," Guido said to Shughart. "You got a great gift for gab."
The judge encouraged Shughart to focus on getting, and keeping, a job and making some payments.
"You couldn't help me?" Shughart asked again, still trying to clear up what he thought was only a miscommunication. "Thanks, though - you gave me a chance when I was younger when a lot of people wouldn't."
As Shughart was led out of the courtroom by a sheriff's deputy, Guido could only shake his head and smile.
Posted at 8:06 p.m. Wednesday on Cumberlink:
If Judge Edward Guido said it once, he said it twice Tuesday morning.
“Actions speak louder than words,” the Cumberland County judge told several defendants who were appearing before him for sentencings, guilty pleas or probation and parole revocations.
However, the message did not get through to several of the individuals, who tried to talk their way out of further punishment.
One former Wormleysburg man’s tale was so long and confusing that, at the end, Guido suggested he go into sales once he gets out of prison.
It did not help that Kevin Eugene Shughart has seen the judge a time or two before.
In fact, about halfway through Shughart’s story about why he did not stay in contact with the Cumberland County Adult Probation and Parole department, Guido realized just how long he had been dealing with the 48-year-old man.
“That makes me old, because I remember you as a juvenile,” Guido said. “I think I represented you as a juvenile public defender.”
For more on this story, see Thursday's Sentinel.