BUCYRUS — A Crestline woman appeared in Crawford County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday to change her plea.
Jessie Onie, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony punishable with up to 12 months in prison.
In a plea negotiation, Crawford County Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold sentenced Onie to five years of community control. She must complete drug and alcohol treatment. Onie was ordered to forfeit all drug-related property to the Crestline Police Department.
In other court action, Colten Britt, 19, of Galion pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony punishable with up to 36 months in prison, one count of theft, a fourth-degree felony punishable with up to 18 months in prison and one count of breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony punishable with up to one year in prison.
Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Hoovler addressed the court before Britt was sentenced.
“Colten Britt is not a criminal mastermind. Mr. Britt surrounds himself with people that convince him to do stupid things,” Hoovler said. “He needs to realize that doing stupid things will get him into serious trouble. I hope he realizes that.”
Hoovler also advised the court that Britt’s co-defendant is a juvenile. Britt’s attorney, Brian Gernert, asked the court to make mental health treatment a condition of his sentence.
“Do you understand what prison is? Does it sound like a place you would like?” Leuthold asked. “The person that talked you into this is a juvenile, he’s not even facing prison at all, but you are. Look, Colten, you can’t do what people tell you to do. If someone asks you to do something wrong, you tell them that you can’t because Judge Leuthold will send you to prison. You need to listen to your dad and not those people who are talking you into doing bad things.”
Leuthold sentenced Britt to five years of community control with an order for ongoing mental health treatment.
William Banks, 66, of Tiffin pleaded guilty to one count of identity fraud, a fourth-degree felony punishable with up to18 months in prison. In a plea negotiation, Banks will spend the next year on community control and was ordered to forfeit a cell phone related to the theft to the proper authorities.
Haley Walters, 28, of Galion pleaded guilty to violating the terms and of conditions of her community control. Walters was placed on community control after she pleaded guilty to possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony punishable with up to 12 months in prison.
Walters allegedly violated her community control after she tested positive for meth, methamphetamines and fentanyl during a drug test on November 9, 2016. She also failed to report being charged with obstruction of justice on November 13.
Leuthold had some harsh words for Walters.
“We bend over backwards to help you and you come in here today and get jerky with my staff because you couldn’t go outside and smoke a cigarette,” Leuthold said. “Then you have the gall to complain about what time court should start. Knock it off!”
Walters indicated to the court that she wanted to relocate to another city.
“You want to move to Chillicothe where you know no one? If it wasn’t for this court do you know where you would be right now?’ Leuthold asked. “You’d either be in prison or dead. At least here you are doing okay, and I use that term loosely, but it’s only because we are supervising you.”
Leuthold continued Walters on community control. He told Walters to submit the information about where she would like to live and a plan for continued treatment and said he would consider her request.