By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Jacob Morgan received the maximum prison sentence for his crime plus extra for violating his community control.
In Crawford County Common Pleas Court Wednesday afternoon, the 21-year-old Bucyrus man pleaded guilty to theft, a third-degree felony, and received 36 months in prison. He was also fined $750 and was ordered to pay $600 in restitution.
That sentence will be served consecutively to a case from earlier this year. Morgan admitted to violating his community control when he took a .38 Colt revolver handgun, possessed that same handgun, and tested positive for marijuana on a drug screen. He received nine months in prison for the violations; combined with the new felony, Morgan will spend 45 months in prison.
“My guess is when your mind is clouded by drugs, you’re an idiot,” Judge Sean Leuthold said. He countered that by crediting Morgan for being aware and clearheaded during Wednesday’s proceedings.
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Joshua Zarcone pleaded guilty to trafficking in drugs, a fifth-degree felony, and received a 12-month prison sentence.
“I apologize,” an emotional Zarcone said.
The 27-year-old Bucyrus man was fined $1,250 and his driver’s license was suspended for six months. Leuthold indicated Zarcone could file a motion for early release.
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Forty-year-old Michael Mullins, of Galion, pleaded guilty to felony 5 drug possession and received an eight-month prison sentence. His driver’s license was also suspended for six months. He was fined $1,250 and was ordered to forfeit seized drug-related property to the Galion Police Department.
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Twenty-eight-year-old Cordale Davis, of Cleveland, pleaded guilty to two drug trafficking charges, one a third-degree and the other a fourth-degree felony.
“This gentleman was part of a drug dealing operation,” Leuthold stated, noting that the operation was centered around Dustin Nolen, who was recently sentenced to five years in prison.
Davis was released on a personal recognizance bond while a pre-sentence investigation is completed. The recommended sentence includes five years on community control, a drug and alcohol treatment program, a six-month driver’s license suspension, and a $5,000 mandatory drug fine.
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Twenty-one-year-old Kiersten Grindle, of Galion, pleaded guilty to felony 3 tampering with evidence and felony 5 trafficking in drugs. With both the prosecution and defense agreeing that Grindle was manipulated into the actions by her boyfriend, Dillon Miller, the recommended sentence included community control rather than prison. Miller was sentenced to 24 months in prison for drug possession and tampering with evidence in April.
Leuthold ordered a pre-sentence investigation and released Grindle on a personal recognizance bond. The recommended sentence would include five years on community control, entrance into a drug and alcohol treatment program, a six-month driver’s license suspension, a $1,250 fine, and forfeiture of drug-related property to the Galion Police Department.
Leuthold prefaced the newest judicial release hearing with one statement: “This was an absolutely strange case that appeared before the court.”
The judge was referring to the case of Stephen Walters, who pleaded guilty to failure to comply with the orders of a police officer. Walters was driving a souped-up Dodge Charger when he pulled up alongside Ohio State Highway Patrol Commander Scott Rike.
“(He) just took off like a bat out of heck,” Leuthold stated in reviewing the facts of the case.
A high-speed chase ensued along U.S. 30 with speeds reaching 180 miles per hour. The chase ended when Walters exited 30 on Ohio 598 and wrecked his car. When police took him into custody, Walters was only concerned whether Rike would have caught him and how fast the Ohio State Patrol car could go.
Walters’ actions confounded everyone involved, especially as the 20-year-old had never been in trouble before. As a result, Walters underwent a forensic psychiatric evaluation, which reported that he has evidence of mental illness and was likely in a manic state at the time of the high speed chase.
Assistant prosecutor Ryan Hoovler had no objection to judicial release after receiving the results of the evaluation. His only request was that Walters follow through with a mental health assessment and any treatment.
“You need to adjust to life without cars,” Leuthold told Walters, who received a mandatory lifetime suspension of his driver’s license with his guilty plea. “Can you accept that?”
“Yes, sir,” Walters replied.
Though Leuthold handled Walters almost with kid gloves at the beginning of the hearing, he brought down the hammer to make sure Walters realized how dangerous his actions were.
“Commander Rike could have been killed, the female (in the car with Walters) . . . would be dead,” Leuthold said. “Her brains and body would have been strewn across the highway, along with yours.”
Leuthold reminded Walters that he would be under the judge’s thumb while on community control.
“No driving, period,” Leuthold added, stressing each word.
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Brandon Robison was close to receiving community control, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. The 20-year-old Galion man entered a guilty plea for possessing drugs, a fifth-degree felony, and the recommended sentence was going to include five years on community control.
The defense and prosecution were preparing to argue bond when, much to the surprise of both sides and the judge, Adult Parole Officer Mark Alspach interrupted the court proceedings to state that Robison was wanted on a warrant from Defiance County. According to Alspach, Robison pleaded guilty in that county to a sex offense.
“I won’t even accept the guilty plea at this time,” Leuthold stated upon the revelation. “Apparently, his record is far from what anybody thought it was.”
Leuthold tore up the plea agreement and ordered that matter to be reset for pretrial negotiations.
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