TO:  LOCAL NEWS MEDIA

 

FROM:  VAN WERT COUNTY COMMON PLEAS COURT

 

DATE:  Wednesday, January 30, 2008

           

Re:   Criminal Hearings

 

SENTENCING HEARINGS

 

Victor E. Cihonski, Jr. 50, Michigan City, Indiana was sentenced to a basic prison term of three years on a charge of Failing To Comply With Order Or Signal Of A Police Officer.

 

Cihonski had been found guilty of the charge after a jury trial was held in December.

 

According to testimony at trial and a Van Wert County Sheriff’s Department investigation Cihonski fled from a Van Wert County Deputy in May of 2007 after he had been stopped for speeding and it was found that he had no driving privileges and that the vehicle he was operating was reported stolen.

 

According the reports the chase which covered a span of over nine miles started west of Delphos and ended near the Vantage Vocational Career Center at the east edge of Van Wert.

 

Cihonski had his seventy-three year old mother who was on a furlough from a Indiana nursing home in the car at the time of the chase.   The pursing Deputy testified that he reached speeds of 112 miles an hour as he pursued Cihonski. 

 

Cihonski was found not to be amenable to community control.  The prosecutor told the court prior to sentencing that Cihonski had a lengthy criminal record going back to 1993.  

 

Judge Steele gave Cihonski credit for 269 days he had served in jail awaiting final disposition of the case.                                                                                         

 

Robert J. Hartman, 18, Ohio City, Ohio was placed on three years of community control on a charge of Breaking and Entering.

 

Hartman, according to a Van Wert County Sheriff’s Department investigation Hartman along with two other juveniles allegedly broke into a concession stand at the Convoy Community Park in September 2007.

 

Hartman was ordered to serve 30 days in the Van Wert County Jail at a time to be determined by his probation officer, spend 60 days on electronic monitored house arrest, undergo  a psychological assessment and complete any rehabilitation programs suggested.  Hartman was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $314.00, pay court costs, $250 as partial reimbursement for his court appointed attorney and $25 for the Affidavit of Indigency Fee. 

 

Judge Steele gave Hartman an eleven month prison sentence with the imposition of the sentence deferred pending the successful completion of the community control program.

 

 

Kati Joe Neal, 22, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, was placed on three years of community control on a charge of Identity Fraud a felony of the fourth degree.

 

According to a Van Wert City Police Department investigation Neal allegedly used a stolen identification information to obtain a Ohio Identification Card and then using it to open a checking account.   Neal then used this false identification to pay for a laptop computer with a check at the Wal Mart Super Center in Van Wert in November of 2005.  

 

Neal will be required to spend 30 days in jail at a time to be determined by her probation officer, perform 200 hours of community service, will have two years of intensive supervision, pay $250 as partial reimbursement for her court appointed attorney, pay court costs and $25 Affidavit of Indigency Fee.  

 

Judge Steele ordered Neal to make restitution of $1065.72 to Wal Mart for the cost of the laptop computer.                                                                                    

 

CHANGE OF PLEA HEARING

 

Joshua A. Moniz, 27, Van Wert County Jail entered a plea of guilty to a charge of Attempted Burglary a felony of the third degree.

 

According  to a Delphos City Police Department investigation Moniz attempted to gain entry to a West Fourth Street residence on January 2nd, 2008.

 

Judge Steele ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for March 12, 2008 at 9:00 a.m..

 

 

Jonathan M. Fulk, 24, entered a plea of guilty to three counts of Burglary and one count of Receiving Stolen Property.

 

According to a Van Wert County Sheriff’s Department investigation Fulk and another individual had entered two county residences and the Lincolnview School during October, November and December of 2007. 

 

Fulk faces a possible twenty-two year prison sentence if he were to receive the maximum sentence for each count.

 

Judge Steele ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for March 12th, 2008 at 9:00 a.m..

 

 

Rex A. Keysor 38, Lima, Ohio entered a plea of guilty to a charge of Attempted Burglary a felony of the third degee. 

 

According to a Van Wert County Sheriff’s Department investigation Keysor allegedly entered the home of Connie Miller in the Village of Middle Point in October of 2007.   Allegedly checks and a credit card was taken.

 

Judge Steele ordered a presentence investigation with sentencing scheduled for March 12th, 2008 at 9:00 a.m..

                                                                                        

ARRAIGNMENT

 

Ricky Secrist, 23, Kansas City, Missouri entered not guilty pleas to a multiple count indictment charging him with three counts of Breaking and Entering, one count of Gross Sexual Imposition and one count Possession Of Cocaine.

 

Secrist was indicted as a result of a Van Wert City Police Department investigation which alleges that Secrist broke into business establishments in 2007.  The count of Gross Sexual Imposition was a result of an incident that took play in June of 2007 which alleges he had sexual contact with a person under the age of twelve. 

 

Secrist was ordered held on a $5,000 cash bond.   A pretrial conference was scheduled for February 6th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..