By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com

While defendant John Taylor chose not to exercise his right to speak at his hearing for burglary charges Tuesday, the victim in the case did. That the victim was a close relative made what she had to say extremely relevant to Taylor’s future, as well as his past.

Taylor was sentenced to four years in prison out of a possible maximum sentence of eight following his guilty plea to second-degree felony burglary.

Taylor’s victim stepped to the podium and spoke with her voice full of emotion. “I appreciate you doing all you can to help,” she told Judge Sean Leuthold. “He’s a good boy. He just got on the wrong track.”

Taylor sat with his head down the entire time his relative spoke and showed no emotion, nor did he visibly respond to her in any way. The judge, however did respond, and he made it obvious he did not relish causing the woman any more anguish.

“I take no pleasure in sending (him) to prison. But in prison, he will have the opportunity to turn his life around,” Leuthold said. “Remember – he’s a grown man and he is accountable for his actions.”

The judge made it just as clear that while he respected and appreciated the words of Taylor’s victim and relative, he did not share those same feelings for the 30-year-old Crestline man at the defendant’s table.

“I don’t even like you,” Leuthold said. “But there is only one person who can fix it – that’s you.”

RELATED CONTENT: First session of October Grand Jury sees 28 new indictments

Forty-nine-year-old Timothy Cooley was also sentenced to prison. Cooley was sentenced to 12 months for felony DUI.

“It takes a lot to go to prison for DUI,” Leuthold told Cooley, noting he had previously been convicted of the same offense at the misdemeanor level on several previous occasions. “When you get out, you are not going to drink and you are not going to drive. Mr. Cooley, I’m not going to let you get your driver’s license ever again.”

In addition to the prison term and lifetime license suspension, Cooley was also fined $2,500.

Thirty-one-year-old Ryan Spencer of Galion pleaded guilty to fifth-degree felony drug possession. Spencer’s bond was continued and he was returned to the county jail pending the completion of a pre-sentence investigation. The recommended sentence is five years of community control with the first 90 days in the county jail, approved drug and alcohol treatment and a $1,250 fine.