TO: LOCAL NEWS MEDIA

FROM: VAN WERT COUNTY COMMON PLEAS COURT

DATE: Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Re: Criminal Hearings

CHANGE OF PLEA HEARINGS

Victoria L. Vinson, 42, Van Wert, Ohio entered a guilty plea to one count of Domestic Violence a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Vinson originally had been indicted on two felony counts of domestic violence where she allegedly caused to attempted to cause physical harm to two family or household  members on March 17th, 2008 according to a Van Wert City Police Department investigation.

Judge Steele ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for June 24th, 2008 at 10:00 a.m.


K. C. Kerns, 27, Van Wert, Ohio entered a plea of guilty to a charge of Possession of Drugs a felony of the fifth degree.

Kerns was allegedly in possession of Heroin on March 15th, 2008 according to a Van Wert City Police Department investigation.

Judge Steele ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for July 23rd, 2008 at 9:00 a.m.


Joshua Lacy, 19, Van Wert, Ohio entered a plea of guilty to a charge of Having Weapons Under A Disability a felony of the third degree.

Lacy, according to a Van Wert City Police Department investigation had a firearm in his possession on April 17th of 2008 and had previously been convicted of an offense of violence while as a juvenile.

Judge Steele ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for July 23rd, 2008 at 9:00 a.m.


Dustin L. Hasch, 19, --- entered a plea of guilty to a charge of attempted forgery a misdemeanor of the first degree for an incident which took place in November of 2007.

Judge Steele immediately sentenced Hasch placing him on community control for a one year period. Hasch must serve a 30 day jail sentence at a time to be determined by his supervision officer, make partial reimbursement of $250.00 for his court appointed attorney, pay $25.00 for affidavit of indgency fee and pay court costs. Hasch was also ordered to make restitution to the victim in the amount of $500.00


Lonnie W. Gentry, 60, Ohio City, Ohio entered a plea of guilty to a charge of Domestic Violence a misdemeanor of the first degree.

According to a Van Wert County Sheriff’s Department investigation Gentry caused or attempted to cause physical harm to a family or household member on March 29th of this year.

Judge Steele ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for June 25th, 2008 at 9:00 a.m..



Matthew M. Gray, 22, Lima, Ohio entered a plea of guilty to a charge of Possession of Drugs and filed a Motion For Treatment In Lieu of Conviction.

According to a Van Wert City Police Department investigation Gray was in possession of cocaine on January 3, 2008.

Judge Steele approved the Motion For Treatment In Lieu Of Conviction. Gray who is presently under going treatment for drug abuse was ordered to complete the treatment program and if he is successful in completing the program the charge will be dismissed.


Mark Binkley, 27, Van Wert, Ohio entered a plea of guilty to a charge of Possession of Cocaine a felony of the fifth degree.

A presentence investigation was ordered with sentencing scheduled for July 23rd, 2008 at 8:00 a.m..


Darren R. Gutierez, 27, Van Wert, Ohio entered a plea of guilty to a charge of Possession of Drugs a felony of the fifth degree.

According to a Van Wert City Police Department investigation Guitierez did use or possess Heroin on January 25th of this year.

A presentence investigation was ordered with sentencing scheduled for July 23rd, 2008 at 9:00 a.m.. Gutierez had his personal surety bond revoked for testing positive for use of drugs while out on bond.

SENTENCING HEARING

Timothy Wollet, Van Wert, Ohio was sentence to a total of thirty days in the Van Wert County Correctional Facility on a misdemeanor charge of Criminal Trespass and for being in violation of his community control program.

Wollet will have work release privileges while serving his jail time. Wollet was sentenced to one year of community control, must perform 100 hours of community service, mark partial reimbursement of $250 for his court appointed attorney, pay $25 for the affidavit of indigency fee and pay court costs.


Randall D. Michaelson, Sr., 32, Lima, Ohio was sentenced to 30 days of jail and placed on community control for three years on charges of Possession of Cocaine and Possession of a Dangerous Ordanance.

According to a Van Wert City Police Department investigation they were called to a residence after Michaelson was found to have overdosed on drugs in December of 2007.

Michaelson was ordered to serve the jail sentence immediately, he will have an additional 30 days jail to be served at a time determined by his supervision officer, must complete a substance abuse assessment along with a psychological assessment.

Judge Steele gave Michaelson a twelve month prison sentenced but deferred the imposition of the sentence pending the successful completion of the community control program.


Jeremy J. Hardin, 26, Delphos, Ohio was to three years of community control on a charge of Non-Support of Dependents a felony of the fifth degree.

Hardin was indicted by the Grand Jury after the Van Wert County Child Support Enforcement Agency presented evidence that Hardin had not paid his child support as ordered by the Court for a period of twenty-six weeks out of a one hundred four week period. Records with the Child Support Enforcement Agency indicate that Hardin owes over $13,000 in back child support.

Hardin was ordered to pay $250 as partial reimbursement for his court appointed attorney, $25 affidavit of indigency fee, and court costs.


Cesar Arryo, 32, Fort Wayne, Indiana entered a plea of guilty to Attempted Identity Fraud a misdemeanor of the first degree and was immediately sentenced to one year of community control.

Arroyo was on a felony charge of Identity Fraud after he provided false identification information to a Trooper of the Ohio State Highway Patrol during a traffic stop.

Arroyo was also given a six month prison sentence and $1,000 fine with the imposition of the sentence being deferred pending the successful completion of community control.


Ronald Elkins, Fort Wayne, Indiana was re-sentenced to three years of community control after testing positive for drugs. Elkins was ordered to have a substance abuse assessment and complete any programs recommend for rehabilitation. Elkins was also ordered to spend 30 days in jail at a time to be determined by his supervision officer.