TO:  LOCAL NEWS MEDIA

 

FROM:  VAN WERT COUNTY COMMON PLEAS COURT

 

DATE:   Wednesday, April 09, 2008

 

Re:   Criminal Hearings 

 

ARRAIGNMENTS

 

Two of three individuals wanted in the December 18th home invasion of the Robert Patton residence in Wren, Ohio were arraigned before Judge Steele this morning and ordered held under a $100,000 cash bond.

 

Rick L. Fisher, 41, Decatur, Indiana and Elizabeth Ann Wyatt, 23, Marion, Ohio both entered not guilty pleas to indictments charging them with Aggravated Robbery a felony of the first degree.

 

According to a Van Wert County Sheriff’s Department investigation three individuals arrived at the Patton home with a female requesting to use the telephone at which time Mr. Patton left her enter, the other two barged into the residence.  Mr. Patton was severely beaten by the individuals with money being taken. 

 

Authorities are still looking for the third individual involved in the incident. 

 

All three face a possible prison sentence of up to ten years and a $20,000.00 fine.

 

A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for April 30th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..

 

 

Jamie Valentine, 30, Van Wert, Ohio entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of Grand Theft a felony of the fourth degree.

 

According to an investigation conducted by Jobs and Family Services Unemployment it was discovered that Valentine was filing for and receiving unemployment benefits while she was employed.  

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Valentine was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond with a pretrial hearing scheduled for May 7th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m.

 

Justin Snyder, 28, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to a charge of Assault a felony of the fourth degree.

 

According to a Van Wert City Police Department investigation Snyder allegedly assaulted Officer Stabler on March 6th of this year while being processed at the police department on another charge.

 

Snyder is being held in the Van Wert County Correctional Facility  on a $10,000 cash bond along with a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond.   A pretrial hearing will be scheduled for a later date.

 

 

Mark Binkley, 27, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to a charge of Possession of Cocaine a felony of the fifth degree.

 

Binkley was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond with a pretrial hearing scheduled for May 7th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m.

 

 

Victoria Vinson, 46, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to a two count indictment charging her with Domestic Violence, both counts were felonies of the fourth degree.

 

Vinson was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond along with orders that she have no contact with either victim of the incidence.  A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for May 7th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..

 

 

Darren Gutierrez, 27, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to a charge of Possession of Drugs a felony of the fifth degree.

 

Gutierrez was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond with a pretrial hearing scheduled for May 7th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..

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Ceasar Arroyo, 32, Allen County, Indiana, entered a not guilty plea to Identity Fraud a felony of the fifth degree.

 

Arroyo was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond with a pretrial hearing scheduled for May 7th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..

 

 

Robert Flynn, 31, Beaverdam, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging him with Receiving Stolen Property a felony of the fourth degree.

 

Flynn is being held on a $5,000 cash bond along with a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond.  A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for April 30th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..

 

 

Jonathan  Howden, 20, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to a charge of Theft of Drugs a felony of the fourth degree.

 

Howden was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond with a pretrial hearing scheduled for May 7th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..

 

 

Landon J. Clifton, 22, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging him with Illegal Processing of Drug Documents a felony of the fourth degree. 

 

Clifton was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond with a pretrial hearing scheduled for May 7th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..

 

 

Robert P. Gilbert, 34, Fort Wayne, Indiana entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging him with Theft a felony of the fifth degree. 

 

Gilbert was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond with a pretrial hearing to be set at a later date.

 

 

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Alissa N. Hershey, 21, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging her with Possession of Drugs a felony of the fifth degree.

 

Hershey was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond with a pretrial hearing scheduled for May 7th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..

 

 

Robert E. Thompson, 24, Van Wert, Ohio entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging him with Possession of Heroin a felony of the fifth degree.

 

Thompson is presently being held in the Van Wert County Correctional Facility on another felony charge where his bond has been revoked. 

 

 

Megan N. Ferguson, presently and inmate with the Indiana Department of Corrections entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging her with Theft, two counts of Complicity in Committing Theft and one count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity.

 

Ferguson was ordered held on a $100,000 cash bond with a pretrial hearing scheduled for April 30th, 20088 at 8:00 a.m..

 

 

Ronnie Huffine, 52, presently being held by the Ohio Department of Corrections  on a sentence out of Auglaize County Common Pleas Court entered a guilty plea to an indictment for Possession of Cocaine a felony of the fifth degree.

 

Huffine immediately sentenced to a six month prison sentence to run concurrently with the sentence from the Auglaize County Common Pleas Court. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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CHANGE OF PLEA HEARINGS

 

Nathaniel Thomas, 29, Paulding, Ohio entered a guilty plea to a charge of Tampering With Evidence a felony of the third degree.

 

Judge Steele ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for May 28th, 2008 at 9:00 a.m..

 

 

Nathan Culler, 21, Van Wert, Ohio entered a guilty plea to a charge of Domestic Violence a misdemeanor of the first degree.  Culler had originally been indicted on a felony count of Domestic Violence.

 

Judge Steele ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for April 30th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..

 

 

SENTENCING HEARINGS

 

John McGinnis, 26, Van Wert, Ohio sentenced on a charge of Theft a fifth degree felony.

 

McGinnis was sentenced by Judge Steele to three years of community control, 30 days in jail to be served at a time determined by his supervision officer, 200 hours of community service, complete a substance abuse assessment along with completing any rehabilitation programs recommended.  McGinnis will have to pay court cost, $250 as partial reimbursement for his court appointed attorney and a $25 fee for the Affidavit of Indigency.

 

McGinnis was ordered to make restitution in the amount of $695.00 for the firearm that he allegedly stole from a Mr. Schumm while he was working at the Schumm home. 

 

McGinnis was also given a basic prison sentence of twelve months with the imposition of the sentence deferred pending the successful completion of the community control program.