By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Whether it was handing down two-year prison sentences or telling someone they were a bad mother, Judge Sean Leuthold pulled no punches in Crawford County Common Pleas Court Wednesday afternoon.
Kyle May was the lone person to receive any prison time during the afternoon court session. The 32-year-old Bucyrus man pleaded guilty to felony 3 domestic violence and received a 24-month prison sentence.
“I’m sorry about what happened,” May said in court. “I shouldn’t have shown up intoxicated.”
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Leuthold took a hard stance with two women he termed bad mothers.
Thirty-five-year-old Rachel Merritt, of Galion, pleaded guilty to drug possession, a fifth-degree felony, and endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor. Merritt will remain in jail while 
the court awaits a pre-sentence investigation. Her sentence will include a proposed five years on community control with 180 days spent in the county jail for the misdemeanor, entrance into a drug and alcohol treatment program, a $1,250 fine, a six-month driver’s license suspension, and forfeiture of drug-related property to the Galion Police Department.
Merritt’s boyfriend, Brian Javens, pleaded guilty to the same charges the previous day and Leuthold’s disgust was palpable again. Merritt and Javens were arrested when a 13-year-old child at the home called police citing that the adults were strung out on heroin.
“That’s disgusting, it’s revolting, it’s unacceptable,” Leuthold said without remorse. “You’re a terrible parent. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
As Merritt started to cry, Leuthold stated he considered the issue was one of the worst drug possession cases to come before him.
“You loved heroin more than you loved him,” Leuthold said before advising her that she had a chance to change that. “If you don’t want the help, he’s better off with you in prison rather than watch you kill yourself with heroin.
“Only reason you’re getting this chance is because I legally can’t put you in prison,” Leuthold added.
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Khristin Sharp also received a sharp reprimand from Leuthold for her parenting.
“I’ve struggled with this,” Leuthold admitted.
“I think that I needed prison,” Sharp said. “It showed me a lot and I don’t want to go back there.”
“You sure? You’ve done everything you can to get there,” a skeptical Leuthold said before asking how Sharp would explain her absence from half of her daughter’s life.
“I’m going to explain it to her,” Sharp said. “I don’t know what I’m going to say, but I’m not going to lie to her.”
Leuthold granted Sharp judicial release and ordered her to serve five years on community control.
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Jonathan Oliver, a 35-year-old man from Marion, pleaded guilty to complicity to commit breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony. Leuthold ordered a pre-sentence investigation and granted Oliver a personal recognizance bond. Oliver’s sentence is expected to include five years on community control.
Twenty-three-year-old Desiree Pierce was also granted judicial release after serving roughly six months in prison.
“We gave you a small taste of what prison is like,” Leuthold said. “You got a taste. You violate community control, you’ll get the whole meal.”
Leuthold placed Pierce, who was sentenced to 36 months in prison for violating her probation, on five years of community control.
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