By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Arraignment day in Crawford County Common Pleas Court tends to go smoothly – if a bit swiftly – but the court ran into a few bumps in the road Monday morning.
Eleven people were arraigned during the morning proceedings, including 32-year-old Bethany Thompson, of Bucyrus. The Grand Jury indicted Thompson on 24 counts: nine counts of felony 2 pandering obscenity involving minors with each count specifying a different photo, six counts of felony 3 sexual battery, which was also determined by photos, and nine counts of felony 2 endangering children. The alleged incidents occurred between Jan. 1 and June 28, 2016.
Altogether, the 24-count indictment carries a maximum penalty of 174 years in prison if convicted on all counts and given maximum consecutive sentences.
Judge Sean Leuthold set bond at $1 million and appointed Andrew Motter as Thompson’s attorney.
Thompson’s co-defendant in the case, Justin Millhouse II, received a $2.5 million bond on July 19 on an identical 24-count indictment.
Police were alerted to the issue when Millhouse’s live-in girlfriend, Thompson, allegedly called police to tell them that she found nude photos of teenagers on his computer. In a Municipal Court hearing earlier this month, assistant prosecutor Rob Kidd told Judge Shane Leuthold that it appeared someone else took photos of a teen while Millhouse allegedly touched her inappropriately while she was unconscious. At the time of that hearing, Millhouse asked the court if his girlfriend would also be investigated.
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Common Pleas Court Judge Leuthold is never one afraid to set a high bond and one man took exception to that.
Thirty-seven-year-old Adam Drew, of Bucyrus, was arraigned on fifth-degree felony domestic violence and first-degree misdemeanor aggravated menacing charges. After hearing Drew’s prior record, which included rape, failure to register as a sexual offender, intimidating a witness, and domestic violence, Leuthold set bond at $300,000 and appointed Sebastian Berger as Drew’s attorney.
As Drew walked out of the video conferencing room in the jail, he muttered, “$300,000, God d—.” That prompted Leuthold to have Drew brought back into the room in order to hold him in contempt for 30 days.
One of the biggest surprises Monday morning was when Leuthold began Joseph Will’s arraignment hearing. As Leuthold started reciting the charges leveled against Will, the normally quick-thinking judge stumbled over his words in bewilderment.
Thirty-seven-year-old Will, of Bucyrus, was being charged with felony 3 intimidation – with the judge being the victim named in the case.
“This is the first I’ve heard about it,” Leuthold said, which set Will, who was on video conference from the jail, into peals of laughter.
“That’s why it’s funny, Your Honor, you didn’t know about it,” Will said.
Will was also arraigned on a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct.
Leuthold appointed Brad Starkey as Will’s attorney, initially set bond at $250,000, and ordered the matter to be put on a visiting judge’s docket. Leuthold later vacated the bond in order to let the visiting judge to decide what it should be.
A complete list of those arraigned who filed not guilty pleas, along with their charges and bonds, are: Lorianne Bright, F5 drug possession, M1 endangering children, and M4 possession of drug paraphernalia ($100,000); Philip Steinmetz, F5 drug possession, M1 endangering children ($100,000); Bethany Thompson, F2 pandering obscenity involving minors – nine counts, F3 sexual battery – six counts, F2 endangering children – nine counts ($1 million); Joseph Will, F3 intimidation, M disorderly conduct (bond vacated); Adam Drew, F4 domestic violence, M1 aggravated menacing ($300,000); Katlyn Benjamin, F2 felonious assault, M1 aggravated menacing ($100,000); Tyler Owens, F2 robbery ($250,000); Nathan Lee Tolle, F3 attempted burglary ($250,000); Charles Baker, F4 theft, F5 breaking and entering, F5 breaking and entering ($100,000); Christina Hunter, F5 possession of drugs – heroin, F5 possession of drugs – Vicodin, M4 possession of drug paraphernalia, M2 possessing drug abuse instruments, M2 obstructing official business ($75,000); and Brenda Lenhart, F5 theft, F5 theft (personal recognizance).
Five other cases remain sealed.