5/20/2010 12:09:00 AM
13 arraigned, 10 others appear at Common Pleas
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| Ed Gebert/Times Bulletin Matthew Brown watches as Van Wert County Prosecutor Charles Kennedy confers with attorney Kelly Rauch during arraignment hearings Wednesday in Common Pleas Court. Brown was one of 13 persons arraigned, 12 of those on drug charges.
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BY ED GEBERT
Times Bulletin News Writer
egebert@timesbulletin.com
The criminal justice system was in high gear on Wednesday, as 13 persons stood for arraignment even before the normal session began. Of the 13 arraigned, 11 were a part of last week's drug suspect roundup in Delphos.
Those 11 included Chad Reynolds, 23, and Ryan Reynolds, 21 of Delphos, who each pleaded not guilty to three counts of trafficking in marijuana. Matthew Lause, 21, Delphos pleaded not guilty to one count of trafficking in marijuana, Joshua L. Hurles, 21, Spencerville pleaded not guilty to two trafficking in marijuana charges, and Jamie McCormick, 18, Spencerville and Phillip Cross, 22, Delphos, each pleaded not guilty to single trafficking in marijuana counts. Each of these were released on bond and ordered to attend pretrial hearings on May 26.
Others from Friday's roundup were Adam Sterling, 21, Delphos, who entered not guilty pleas to two fourth-degree felony counts of trafficking in marijuana and one fifth-degree felony count of the same charge. Sterling was also released on bond and ordered to appear at a May 26 pretrial hearing.
Justin M. Binkley, 22, Lima, pleaded not guilty to one count of trafficking in marijuana, a felony of the fifth degree. Binkley was released on bond with a June 9 pretrial hearing scheduled.
Faith Sevitz, 30, Delphos, pleaded not guilty to one count of trafficking in drugs, a felony of the fourth degree. Sevitz was released on bond with a pretrial hearing set for May 26.
Kiel A. Martin, 23, Delphos, pleaded not guilty to a pair of counts of trafficking in a counterfeit controlled substance, a felony of the fifth degree. Chasity M. Deal, 20 Findlay, pleaded not guilty to aiding and abetting in the sale of a counterfeit controlled substance, a felony of the fifth degree along with a specification she used a 2002 Dodge Neon in the commission of the offense. Both Martin and Deal were released on bond with pretrial hearings scheduled for May 26.
Two other men were arraigned on Wednesday including a Dayton man accused of complicity to commit grand theft of a motor vehicle and complicity to commit forgery. Michael L. Carter, 26, pleaded not guilty to both fourth-degree felony counts. He was ordered held on a $10,000 cash bond. A pretrial hearing was set for May 26.
Also, Matthew Brown, 46, Van Wert, was arraigned on a third-degree felony possession of drugs count. Brown was also ordered held on a $10,000 cash bond with a pretrial hearing scheduled for May 26.
The Van Wert man who was accused of taking a car for a 5,000-mile test drive was given a pair of 12-month prison sentences on Wednesday. Nicholas E. Metcalfe, Jr., 27, was sentenced to 12 months for grand theft of a motor vehicle along with 12 months for violating his community control sanction from a previous forgery conviction.
During the sentencing hearing, Metcalfe offered no explanation for his actions. He had already admitted to taking a car for a test drive from a Van Wert dealership on Feb. 18 and keeping it for more than a month, putting over 5,000 miles on the vehicle in the process. The vehicle was later discovered at the dealership after Metcalfe had returned it and notified authorities.
The two prison terms handed down by Van Wert County Common Pleas Court Judge Charles D. Steele are to be served consecutively, but concurrently with a prison sentence for a parole violation in Paulding County.A total of 327 days credit was given for time Metcalfe has already spent in custody awaiting disposition of the charges.
Jon E. Gaskill, 37, Grover Hill, was sentenced to six months in prison for receiving stolen property, a felony of the fifth degree. Gaskill was charged by Van Wert Police to have been in possession of a number of firearms which were reported missing from a Van Wert residence in January.
Despite a request for a lesser sentence, Steele delivered the sentence after noting the length of Gaskill's criminal history.
A Van Wert man was given six month in the Van Wert County Jail as part of three years of community control in a felony domestic violence case. Jonathan J. Slates, 24, told the court that his actions went out of control as he tried to convince his then-girlfriend to give up drugs. The woman countered, saying that Slates attack had happened as she was going to give a friend a ride to buy cigarettes.
Slates must also serve an additional 30 days in jail, perform 200 hours of community service, pay fees and court costs and have no contact with the victim in the case. A 12-month prison term was deferred pending the successful completion of community control.
Heidi K. Sill, Van Wert, was in court Wednesday for sentencing on a theft charge and a pair of forgery charges. Sill's attorney, Shane Lee, requested his client's placement at the WORTH Center in Lima. The hearing was then continued for two weeks so that Sill can be evaluated to see if she qualifies for the WORTH Center program.
Benjamin Hurley, Van Wert, admitted to a violation of his community control and was resentenced to three additional years of community control. Hurley had paid only $2,310 of a $41,03.50 restitution order after a 2007 conviction. Steele ordered Hurley to all fines and restitution paid by Nov. 15, 2010.
Guilty pleas were entered by five persons on Wednesday. Karen K. Murphy, 26, Van Wert, pleaded to deception to obtain a dangerous drug, a fourth-degree felony. She will be sentenced on June 30.
Otto L. Masters, 21, Van Wert, pleaded guilty to fourth-degree felony burglary in connection with a March 26 incident at a residence on E. Central Ave. in Van Wert. Masters faces up to 18 months in prison when he is sentenced on June 30.
Michael N. Dailey, 51, pleaded guilty to theft, a felony of the fifth degree. He was accused of taking $2,000 from a county resident in 2006. Sentencing was set for June 30.
Jerry A. Dominique, 45, Van Wert, entered a guilty plea to possession of drugs a felony, of the fifth degree. He was found in possession of heroin in 2009. Dominique faces up to a year in prison at his July 7 sentencing hearing.
Raymond Bressler, 46, Ohio City, entered a no contest plea to a pair of drug charges. Bressler was stopped by police and a K-9 alerted to drugs being in the vehicle. A search found both marijuana and LSD.
Bressler was charged with third-degree felony possession of LSD and fifth-degree felony possession of marijuana and could get up to six years in prison at his June 30 sentencing hearing.
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