By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
For the second time this week a man will be heading to prison for violating his personal recognizance bond.
After warning one defendant of the perils of violating a personal recognizance bond, Crawford County Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold pointed to Sean Dickerson as an example of what happens when someone violates the court’s bond.
Dickerson, 30, of Reynoldsburg, pleaded guilty to felony 5 drug possession and felony 3 tampering with evidence in May and was released on a personal recognizance bond while the court awaited the results of a pre-sentence investigation. The recommended sentence at the time was five years on community control despite Dickerson being prison eligible on the tampering with evidence charge.
“I really appreciate you giving me community control . . . giving me a chance,” Dickerson told Leuthold. “I really don’t want to go to prison.”
Wednesday’s agreed-to sentence resulted in a four-year prison sentence for Dickerson after he admitted to testing positive for marijuana and cocaine.
Dickerson’s attorney, Brian Gernert, said his client struggled with addiction issues, but planned on using his time in prison to better himself.
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Twenty-six-year-old James Shope, of Bucyrus, was sentenced to seven months in prison for violating his community control. Shope admitted that he failed to show for office visits and 
consumed alcohol. Leuthold sentenced him to seven months in prison on a felony drug possession charge and 65 days in jail on a misdemeanor possession of drug abuse instruments charge, the latter which will be credited for time already served.
Shope apologized for his actions, but Leuthold did not mince words.
“Well, you failed miserably,” Leuthold acknowledged. “I’m not going to put someone back to community control who failed so quickly.”
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It took Leuthold some convincing to continue Blaine Dunlap on community control, but in the end that was the decision he made despite his reservations.
Twenty-year-old Dunlap, of Nevada, admitted to testing positive for Oxycodone while on probation. After a flurry of hard questions from Leuthold, Dunlap admitted to buying the drugs from someone he knew with money he earned from his grandparents.
“I made some dumb choices,” Dunlap said.
“That’s how it always happens,” Leuthold retorted.
The judge ripped into Dunlap when the defendant revealed that he kept his drug dealer’s number in his phone even after pleading guilty to possessing counterfeit controlled substances and being placed on community control and the ISAT program.
“I have no idea how to get through to you,” Leuthold said. “I feel like I’m delaying the inevitable. Maybe he just needs to accept who he is – a criminal.”
At that point, an angry and frustrated Leuthold ordered attorney Brad Starkey to have a discussion with his client and the judge left the courtroom. Upon his return, Dunlap asked Leuthold for another chance and apologized for letting him down.
“I don’t believe you at all,” Leuthold said. “You’ve used every ounce of goodwill.”
Leuthold continued Dunlap on community control and the ISAT program, but ordered him to serve 30 days in the county jail for the probation violations.
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Andrew Callahan appeared in court for a special request, one which Leuthold did not take lightly.
Stephanie Foust, the victim in Callahan’s felony domestic violence case, asked for the no contact order to be lifted due to the fact that she and Callahan had a child together. Foust brought up the letters she wrote to Leuthold, which stated that Callahan was not violent and was a good father and provider.
Leuthold, however, disagreed with her assessment. He reviewed Callahan’s pre-sentence investigation, which included multiple charges of intoxication, disorderly conduct, criminal non-support, and domestic violence.
“Got to be honest, my story is a little different than the one you’re telling me,” Leuthold said to Foust. “You seem bound and determined not to face reality.”
Leuthold railed against Callahan, calling him a drunk and an abuser, but relented on Foust’s request due to the fact that a child was involved. He lifted the no contact order as he warned Foust to be prepared to protect herself and her child.
“God help you, you put your hands on Ms. Foust, I’ll send you to prison so fast your head will spin,” Leuthold warned Callahan.
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Nineteen-year-old Dominique Benedict, of Bucyrus, was arraigned on a felony 5 drug possession charge and a misdemeanor 4 possession of drug paraphernalia charge. Leuthold appointed Brian Gernert as Benedict’s attorney and released him on a personal recognizance bond.