BUCYRUS — An inmate at the Marion Correctional Institution in Marion was brought to Crawford County Common Pleas Court to be sentenced on Thursday.
Tyler Stepp is serving a prison sentence ordered by another county in Ohio but was indicted on the new charges after his incarceration.
Stepp, 25, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of drugs, each a fifth-degree felony and each punishable with up to 12 months in prison. In a plea agreement, Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold sentenced Stepp to six months in prison on each count. Those sentences will run concurrently for a total of an additional six months in prison.
“You are not from Crawford County, so you don’t know how we do things,” Leuthold said. “We don’t let this behavior slide, even if you are in prison.”
“I’ve heard of you and your brother, but I never been before you,” Stepp said.
“Well now you have,” Leuthold replied.
In other court action, Brendan Frenzel, formerly of the Marion Correctional Institution, appeared in court to have a full hearing on allegations he violated the terms and conditions of his community control.
Frenzel, 20, was originally sentenced to 54 months in prison in March after he pleaded guilty to multiple counts of possession of drugs and tampering with evidence. He was granted judicial release in August but sent to the Oriana House in Tiffin, a community-based correctional facility.
Frenzel’s supervising probation officer, Kylie Sinclair, testified Frenzel was terminated from the program on December 2 after a search of his bunk revealed K2 stashed under his deodorant cap. Successful completion of the CBCF was a requirement of his community control. Sinclair said Frenzel admitted to the possession.
Crawford County Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Hoovler had Sinclair identify the terms and conditions Frenzel signed at the time he was placed on community control.
“Is successful completion of the program at the Oriana house a condition of his community control? Hoovler asked.
“Yes sir,” Sinclair responded.
In cross examination, Frenzel’s attorney, Tom Nicholson, asked Sinclair, “Do you know what K2 is?”
“It’s a green leafy substance,” Sinclair said.
“What I mean is, do you know that it’s synthetic marijuana?” Nicholson asked. Sinclair affirmed that she knew that K2 is synthetic marijuana.
With Frenzel choosing not to testify on his own behalf, both the state and defense rested.
In closing arguments, Hoovler told the court that even though the K2 is a violation, the core violation was Frenzel’s being dismissed from the program.
“He clearly violated when he was terminated from the program,” Hoovler said. “Given his underlying conviction, the state would ask the court to impose the 59-month sentence.”
“I’m not going to belabor the point, but marijuana is legal in many areas and this was not even marijuana, it’s a synthetic,” Nicholson said.
“Well it’s not legal in Ohio. This is a revocation hearing and he violated,” Leuthold said. “It is clear that he had an opportunity to get through this program and get on with his life and he chose not to. K2 is dangerous because no one knows what’s in it. I find he violated his community control and I am imposing 30 months on count one and 24 months on count two for a total of 54 months in prison.”
Frenzel will receive credit for jail time and CBCF time served.
Brittany Rose, 26, of Bucyrus pleaded guilty to violating the terms and conditions of her community control and to two counts of tampering with evidence, each third-degree felonies and each punishable with up to 36 months in prison.
According to probation officer, Kylie Sinclair, Rose attempted to alter two urine drug tests by dipping the urine in water.
Rose was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2014 after she pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property. In August 2019, Rose violated her community control and was sent to the Ohio Reformatory for Women.
In October, she was granted judicial release. Less than one month later, she violated the terms and conditions of her community control and as a result of dipping her urine in water received the two new charges.
Before sentencing, Rose’s attorney, Tom Nicholson, told the court his client has had a troubled life and always seems to turn to drugs.
“This is unfortunate. I have seen you too many times in this court,” Leuthold said.
Leuthold imposed the original 18-month prison sentence. He sentenced her to 36 months on each of the two counts of tampering with evidence. Leuthold ran the sentences concurrently. Rose will serve a total of 36 months in prison on the new charges but will receive 35 days of jail time credit.