TO: LOCAL NEWS MEDIA
FROM: VAN WERT COUNTY COMMON PLEAS COURT
DATE: Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Re: Criminal Hearings
ARRAIGNMENTS:
Mark A. Gillette, 18, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to a two count indictment charging him with Theft felonies of the fifth degree. Gillette was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond. A pretrial hearing was scheduled for February 20, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..
Sean L. Hendricks, 20, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging him with Burglary a felony of the fourth degree. Hendricks was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for February 20th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..
Cody J. McGinnis, 24, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging him with two counts of Unlawful Sexual Conduct With A Minor felonies of the fourth degree. McGinnis was released on a $5, 000 unsecured personal surety bond with the condition that he have no form of contact with the victim. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for February 20th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..
Chad E. Kouts, 18, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging him with two counts of Burglary, one count a felony of the second degree and the other count a felony of the third degree. Kouts had a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond set, but is being held in the Paulding County Jail on similar offenses. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for February 20th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..
Ryan R. Woodall, 34, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging him with Theft a felony of the fifth degree. Woodall was released on a
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$5,000 unsecured personal surety bond. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for February 20th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..
Heidi K. Sill, 18, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging her with Illegal Possession Of Drug Documents a felony of the fifth degree. Sill had a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond but is presently being held in jail on a probation violation from the Van Wert Municipal Court.
Andrew M. Lucas, 22, Delphos, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging him with Breaking and Entering a felony of the fifth degree. Lucas was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for February 20th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..
Gary L. Caywood, Arrow Motel, Delphos, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to a two count indictment charging him with Domestic Violence misdemeanors of the second degree. Caywood was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond with an order to have no contact with the victims. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for February 20th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..
Kurt Strukamp, 44, no address given entered a plea of not guilty to an indictment charging him with Burglary a felony of the second degree. Strukamp was ordered held on a $10,000 cash bond along with a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond after the prosecutor advised the court that he felt that Strukamp’s lengthy past criminal record and the fact that he had to be extradited back from Missouri made him a flight risk. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for February 20th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..
Brandon H. Thomas, 25, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging him with Abduction a felony of the third degree. Thomas was arrested last week after his wife alleged that he had handcuffed and hog tied her. Thomas allegedly was employed as a corrections officer in Adams County Indiana at the time.
Prosecutor Charles F. Kennedy asked the court to continue a $500,000 cash bond which had originally been set in the Van Wert Municipal Court on charges of
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misdemeanor Domestic Violence. Kennedy told the court that at the time Thomas was taken in custody he had a large amount of handguns, a high powered rifle and large quantity of ammunition in his vehicle.
Judge Steele ordered that Thomas be held on a $500,000 cash bond along with a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for February 20th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..
CHANGE OF PLEA – SENTENCING HEARING:
Michael Coombs, Sr., 44, Van Wert, Ohio entered a guilty plea to a charge of Attempted Breaking and Entering a misdemeanor of the first degree. Coombs had originally been charged with Breaking and Entering a fifth degree felony.
According to a Van Wert City Police Department, Coombs allegedly was found inside a vacant apartment on East Main Street and had entered the vacant apartment for a place to stay since he was homeless.
Judge Steele immediately sentenced Coombs 180 days in the Van Wert County Correctional Facility and gave him credit for the time he served since being arrested on December 5th, 2007.
COMMUNITY CONTROL VIOLATION HEARINGS:
John McGinnis, 26, Van Wert, Ohio admitted to violating his community control sanctions by being terminated from the WORTH Center in Lima, Ohio. McGinnis alleged became involved in a physical altercation with another person their.
Judge Steele told McGinnis that the WORTH Center felt that he had made great strides in the program while at the WORTH Center and didn’t feel that he, McGinnis should be sent to prison.
McGinnis was immediately re-sentenced to three years of community control program and ordered to spend the balance of his twelve month prison sentence in
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the Van Wert County Correctional Facility, he was given credit for 275 days he has already served in incarceration.
Alisha M. Slaught, 27, Van Wert, Ohio admitted to violating her community control by being terminated from the WORTH Center for a violation of rules.
Slaught was immediately re-sentenced to a three years of community control and given a 180 day jail sentence to be served in the Van Wert County Correctional Facility with 146 days credit given for time served already in incarceration.
Slaught was ordered to have a psychological assessment and complete any and all programs recommended.