TO:     LOCAL NEWS MEDIA 

FROM:   VAN WERT COUNTY COMMON PLEAS COURT

DATE:   Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Re:   Criminal Hearings

SENTENCING HEARINGS:

Benjamin E. Craft, 44, Convoy, Ohio was sentenced to three years of community control on charges of Possession of Drugs and Possession of Cocaine.

Craft was ordered to spend 60 days on electronic monitored house arrest, 30 days in the Van Wert County Jail at a time to be determined by his supervision officer;  perform 200 hours of community service, undergo a substance abuse assessment and complete any program recommended.  Craft was ordered to pay $250 as partial reimbursement for his court appointed attorney, $25 affidavit of indingency fee and court costs.  

Judge Steele also issued two twelve month prison sentences to run concurrently but deferred imposition of the sentences pending the successful completion of the community control programs. 

Jeffrey L. Moore, 42, Detroit, Michigan was given a 180 day jail sentence on an Attempted Forgery charge a  misdemeanor of the first degree.  

Moore allegedly passed a forged check at the Pic N Save store on January 8^th of this year for the amount of $477.08.    Moore has made restitution for the amount of the check and has served 180 days jail, he was given credit for time and then released from jail.

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Nathan Culler, 21, Van Wert, Ohio was ordered to spend 90 days in the Van Wert County Correctional Facility on a charge of Domestic Violence a misdemeanor of the first degree. 

Judge Steele ordered that Culler remain on community control for three years, perform 200 hours of community service, complete an anger management program and have no contact with the victim Katie Zimmerman.

Culler also was ordered to pay $250 as partial reimbursement for his court appointed attorney, $25 affidavit of indingency fee.   Judge Steele ordered a 180 day jail sentence and a $1,000 fine with the imposition deferred pending the successful completion of the community control program.

Mark A. Gillette, 18, Van Wert, Ohio was sentenced to one year of community control on two misdemeanor counts of Theft.  

According to a Van Wert City Police Department investigation Gillette allegedly transferred money from a local woman’s account electronically to his account in December of 2007.   Full restitution has been made to the victim.

Gillette will have to spend 30 days in the Van Wert County Jail at a time to be determined by his supervision officer, perform 200 hours of community service, pay $250 as partial reimbursement for his court appointed attorney, pay the $25 affidavit of indingency fee and court costs.

Judge Steele ordered a 180 day jail sentence and a fine of $1,000 on each count of the theft but deferred imposition of the jail sentence and fine pending the successful completion of the community control program.

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Robert E. Thompson, 24, Van Wert, Ohio was sentenced to serve up to six months at the WORTH Center in Lima, Ohio on two counts of Possession of Drugs both felonies of the fifth degree.

Thompson had been arrested after an investigation was conducted by the Van Wert City Police Department.

Thompson told Judge Steele that he has had a long problem with drugs and needs help. 

Prior to sentencing Thompson, Judge Steele noted that Thompson had a lengthy criminal history which involved mostly drug and alcohol violations.   Judge Steele told Thompson that he was going to give him a chance and send him to the WORTH Center rather than prison.  

Thompson will be on three years of community control, will have to spend 30 days in the Van Wert County Jail at a time to be determined by his supervision officer, perform 200 hours of community service, complete a substance abuse assessment and any rehabilitation program recommended, he will be under two years of intensive supervision and also lost his driving privileges for six months. 

Judge Steele gave Thompson a nine month prison sentence on each drug  count to be served concurrently but deferred imposition of the prison sentence pending the successful completion of the community control program.

CHANGE OF PLEA HEARING

Christopher L. Harlamert, 20, Van Wert, Ohio entered a plea of guilty to a charge of Unlawful Sexual Conduct With A Minor a fourth degree felony.   A presentence was ordered with sentencing scheduled for June 11^th, 2008 at 9:00 a.m..