By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Two men received high bonds for violating their community control while a third man had his high bond reduced in Crawford County Common Pleas Court Tuesday afternoon.
It’s been over a year since 31-year-old Joseph Sackman of Mansfield absconded from the Crawford County justice system. Sackman was charged with drug possession in January of 2014 but failed to appear for an intervention in lieu of conviction hearing. Former Judge Russell Wiseman issued a bench warrant for Sackman’s arrest.
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Crawford County Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold appointed Grant Garverick as Sackman’s new attorney and set bond at $150,000 Tuesday.
Twenty-four-year-old Trevor Gantz of Galion appeared in court for violating the terms of his community control. Gantz, who pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree felony for aggravated assault, was convicted of driving under suspension and reckless operation of a vehicle in Municipal Court and tested positive for opiates, cocaine, and Suboxone. The incidents occurred on Aug. 6.
Judge Leuthold entered a denial to the allegations for Gantz, appointed Tom Nicholson as Gantz’s attorney, and set bond at $150,000.
Judge Leuthold made sure to point out that he typically does not grant bond reductions but, due to the circumstances in Michael Weber’s case, that change may be appropriate.
Thirty-eight-year-old Weber of Galion was charged with felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and had bond set at $100,000 last week.
Grant Garverick, Weber’s attorney, said Weber was responsible for medical issues for his significant other and asked that the bond be lowered or a personal recognizance bond issued. Garverick added that the incident took place at Weber’s home when an intoxicated male refused to leave the premises. Weber took care of it, Garverick said.
Assistant prosecutor Rob Kidd noted the male involved in the incident received fractured facial bones. “At the end of the day, we still have an individual that suffered facial injuries,” Kidd argued.
After reviewing Weber’s record, which consisted of passing bad checks and disorderly conduct, Leuthold determined Weber was not a flight risk or a danger to the public. The judge noted that the incident occurred at Weber’s house and he was not roaming the community committing crimes.
Leuthold, explaining that a personal recognizance bond was not appropriate in this case, lowered bond to $25,000. He also established an 8 p.m. curfew and ordered Weber to have no contact with the victim or consume and drugs or alcohol.