Additional child porn charges result in additional bond

By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com

Citing the need to protect the public, Judge Sean Leuthold went along with a recommendation by County Prosecutor Matthew Crall on Tuesday to raise the bond amount for a man who had previously posted a $100,000 bond on charges alleging child pornography. Fifty-six-year-old Thomas Sibbalds, who was already facing 15 counts of fourth-degree felony pandering sexually oriented materials involving minors, now faces an additional 50 counts of second-degree felony pandering sexually oriented materials involving minors.

Each felony 4 count could result in 18 months in prison while each felony 2 count could mean eight years in prison. Sibbalds, who was out on bond on the original 15 count-indictment, had been served a summons and returned to court on the additional 50-count indictment.

Leuthold set his new bond at $750,000 at the urging of Crall. The judge made it clear that the new bond covers all 65 counts.

While arguing for higher bond, Crall called the latest images recovered from Sibbalds’ home computer “horrible” and “more explicit” than those supporting the original felony 4 charges.

The latest evidence was recovered after the original indictment while police continued to examine Sibbalds’ computer and cell phone. The newest charges will be consolidated with the original ones into a single case.

Sibbalds’ attorney, Rocky Ratliff, argued that his client has no previous felony record, is currently employed full-time, has no passport, is a lifelong resident of the area and answered the summons for the new charges while out on bond.

The judge said that under normal circumstances where additional charges are filed after bond has been set when authorities find additional evidence of prior crimes committed, his practice is to continue the same bond. He said that the seriousness of these charges made it a different matter entirely.

“This court cannot in good conscience issue a $100,000 bond,” Leuthold said. “The photographs were incredibly disturbing.”

Leuthold noted that the images that led to the original charges being filed showed underage subjects who appeared to be posing. The photos that police found subsequently after Sibbalds had posted bond were more graphic and involved sexual acts of such a nature the judge said that the underage subjects in them appeared to be abused and exploited.

The judge, however, emphasized that Sibbalds is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

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Aaron Mitchell was arraigned on first degree felony burglary. Mitchell’s bond was set at $750,000. The charge has a maximum prison sentence of 11 years if Mitchell is convicted.

Allegedly, Mitchell and as many as three or four others broke into a house on Harris Street in Bucyrus and assaulted a resident before taking money and property including an I-phone that was later recovered at a pawn shop.

Edward Springer’s bond was set at $1.5 million. Springer, who has a lengthy felony record, is charged in a seven-count indictment of theft, grand theft and breaking and entering. The thefts involve weapons and vehicles.

Maximum, consecutive sentences could add up to 12 years if Springer is convicted on all charges.

In all, 15 people were arraigned on felony charges Tuesday in Common Pleas Court. They are: Aaron Buchanan, F4 safecracking ($150,000); Carl McCrea, F5 drug possession ($50,000); Steven Shaull, F5 theft ($100,000); David Hedrick Sr., F5 illegal cultivation of marijuana (personal recognizance); Rosalinda Hedrick, F5 illegal cultivation of marijuana (personal recognizance); Thomas Sibbalds, 50 counts of F2 pandering sexually oriented materials involving minors ($750,000); Aaron Mitchell, F1 aggravated burglary ($750,000); Edward Springer, two counts of F3 theft, two counts of F4 grand theft, three counts of F5 breaking and entering ($1.5 million); Emma Lilly, two counts of F3 theft, two counts of F4 grand theft, three counts of F5 breaking and entering ($100,000); Katherine Gear, two counts of F4 drug trafficking ($50,000); Tiffany Quaintance, F3 illegal conveyance and F3 tampering with evidence ($200,000); Christopher Fawley, F5 drug possession ($150,000); Takoda Wilburn, F4 improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle (personal recognizance); Sheena Jarvis, two counts of F5 drug trafficking (personal recognizance); Sara Smith, F2 burglary ($250,000).