By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com

Last week’s trend of prison sentences spilled over into this week as Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold sent four more people to spend time behind bars.

Though 24-year-old Todd Corbitt II of Shelby was only scheduled for an arraignment hearing Monday morning, he skipped ahead and pleaded guilty to second-degree felonious assault. Corbitt admitted to striking another man with a bat on Sept. 7.

Leuthold made note of Corbitt’s visits to Crawford County Municipal Court when the judge had been sitting on the lower bench but cautioned the man about his temper.

“I can understand a person losing their temper and doing foolish things,” Leuthold said. “But using a baseball bat is unacceptable.”

Leuthold sentenced Corbitt to five years in prison and fined him $2,000. Charges of aggravated burglary and violating a protection order were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

“You and I both know you were headed down a bad path,” Leuthold told Corbitt. He advised the young man to use the time to get his life back on track.

Leuthold always makes sure that defendants know how strict his community control is before releasing them but 31-year-old Amber Griefenstine did not seem to realize just how serious he was until she returned to Common Pleas Court.

The Crestline woman had been on probation since June after pleading guilty to theft. Monday afternoon, however, saw her back in court as Adult Parole Authority office Mark Stalter brought up allegations that Griefenstine violated her community control. Stalter alleged that Griefenstine failed to report to office visits since Nov. 12 and tested positive for Oxycodone on Nov. 21.

Griefenstine admitted to the violations and began crying as Leuthold discussed the matters with her.

“It breaks my heart. I don’t enjoy this,” Leuthold said. “In this county, you’re held accountable for your actions.”

Leuthold sentenced her to nine months in prison for violating her probation but paused as Griefenstine announced that she had a prescription for the Oxycodone. Both Stalter and her attorney, Geoffrey Stoll, denied knowing about the prescription. Leuthold considered the new announcement for a moment but continued with the sentencing when Stalter stated that, even if Griefenstine did have a prescription for the medication, she still had an issue with reporting for office visits. Leuthold advised Stoll, however, to look into the matter, though the judge said he was highly skeptical that she had a prescription.

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Leuthold minced no words when it came to Beverly Lewis and the relationship she has with her daughter, Shena Belcher.

“I need to speak to you frankly. Clearly what’s going on in your family is a mess,” Leuthold said, alluding to the fact that he sentenced her daughter to prison last week for trafficking in drugs and counterfeit drugs. “You both are going to have to get clean together or you’re going to drag each other down.”

Leuthold sentenced Rice to seven months in prison after the 48-year-old Bucyrus woman pleaded guilty to permitting drug abuse, a fifth-degree felony. Rice also had her driver’s license suspended for six months, was fined $1,250, and was ordered to forfeit drug-related property being held to the Bucyrus Police Department.

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Thirty-eight-year-old Michael Weber of Galion seemed to think he could go to trial on an amended first-degree misdemeanor charge, but Leuthold quickly corrected Weber of that notion.

The prosecutor’s office offered Weber a deal: they would amend his second-degree felonious assault – which carried a maximum eight-year prison sentence – to a misdemeanor one assault and six months in the county jail if he pleaded guilty.

Weber rejected the offer at first but, as Leuthold explained that Weber would then have to go to trial for a second-degree felony and could possibly face eight years in prison, he seemed to wilt as he realized his mistake. A short recess saw Weber returning to the courtroom to plead no contest to the amended charge.

As Leuthold reviewed the details of the case, which involved Weber getting into an altercation with a drunken and belligerent Richard Castle at Weber’s home on May 18, he felt the amended charge was a fair thing to do.

Weber will report to the Crawford County Justice Center in January.

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Thirty-nine-year-old Shane Willacker of Galion entered a guilty plea for acting as a pawn broker without a license but that plea will be held for the time being. Willacker joined the court’s two-year diversion program and must pay back restitution in the case. If Willacker successfully completes diversion, the felony charge could be wiped from his record.

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Thirty-eight-year-old Paul Wise III of Oregon, Ohio was arraigned for carrying a concealed weapon, a fourth-degree felony, on Oct. 30. A not guilty plea was entered on the charge and bond was set at $10,000.

Nineteen-year-old Brian Thompson of rural Mansfield was granted judicial release after spending nearly a year in prison for robbery.

“You got yourself a heck of a deal. You would not have gotten that deal with me,” Leuthold told Thompson.

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