BUCYRUS — The second defendant in the Galion Grinch saga was sentenced to 24 months in prison on two fifth-degree felony charges of theft. Shaun Arthur, 36, of Galion appeared in court with attorney Tom Nicholson.
Arthur pleaded guilty to stealing Christmas decorations in the Galion area. Arthur said he and his girlfriend were angry when their children were taken away and decided no one deserved to have a nice Christmas. Arthur admitted they had been drinking before hatching the plan to steal the decorations.
Leuthold told Arthur what they did was mean, stupid and cruel.
“By in large, people are truly good. We hear about the bad ones but there are many people who love their community. They like to decorate their homes. Those things celebrate community,” Leuthold said. “What you did to them sends a powerful message that you hate your community.”
Arthur will receive 57 days of credit for jail time served.
In other court proceedings, Chase Parsons, 22, of Galion appeared in Crawford County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday to answer to charges for violating the terms and conditions of his community control.
In October 2018, Parsons was sentenced on four counts of possession of drugs, each a fifth-degree felony charge punishable with as many as 12 months in prison on each count. In exchange for a guilty plea, Parsons was sentenced to five years on community control.
According to probation officer Mark Wurm, Parsons violated his probation when he was found in possession of a controlled substance and admitted to using heroin Jan. 17. Parsons also tested positive for opiates Jan. 18. Parsons admitted to the charges.
Judge Sean Leuthold sentenced Parsons to 12 months in prison on each count of possession for a total of 48 months in prison. Parsons will receive credit for jail time served.
James Michael Allonas II, 38, of Bucyrus was found guilty of violating the terms and conditions of his community control. Allonas was placed on community control following a conviction of failure to comply, a third-degree felony charge punishable with as many as 36 months in prison.
Allonas did not comply with a police officer’s signal to stop. He fled police at speeds between 75-80 miles per hour. Allonas whipped into a parking lot tried to flee. He was apprehended when officers used a taser on him. Police found marijuana on Allonas. Allonas was sentenced to prison and was given judicial release after serving approximately four months.
According to probation officer Dan Wurm, Allonas violated his community control by being outside his stated address after his 10 p.m. curfew, he was present in a known drug house where one man died of an overdose and he refused a drug test.
In arguing the sentence, assistant prosecutor Ryan Hoovler told the court that Allonas was given judicial release and with that a second chance to straighten his life out.
“The purpose of community control in this case is to keep a person on drugs away from drugs and drug houses. He was at a drug house and refused a drug test. It is apparent he is still struggling with drugs. He is on release from a very serious crime. The state would ask the court to reimpose the 36month sentence,” Hoovler said.
Allonas’ attorney, Andrew Motter told the court his client had been working as an electrician. The house Allonas went to was a friend’s house and he went there to walk her dogs.
“Mr. Allonas takes comfort in walking the dogs,” Motter said. “He went into a bad situation and I’d like him to explain to the court what happened.”
Allonas told the court he was at the house at 2p.m. He said he did not break his curfew. Allonas said when he got to the house someone asked him to come in and help, and he went in to find a friend overdosed. Someone in the house went to get Narcan, but police were not called. Allonas said he did chest compression until the victim came around and then he left the house. He said he did not refuse a drug test but that he was being rushed into the test and signed the refusal with regret.
Leuthold wanted further explanation on the curfew violation. Leuthold ordered a short recess to obtain the report. He reviewed it from the bench and had some questions for Allonas.
The Bucyrus Police Department forwarded and incident report to officer Wurm. A man that had been at the same drug house reported to police that at around 2 a.m. the next morning, Allonas showed up at his house and asked to borrow a cell phone. He had heard that someone died in the house and he was trying to identify the victim. The person filing the report said Allonas appeared to be “tweaking” on meth.
Allonas, himself, said he walked into a bad situation but felt compelled to try and save his friend’s life.
Leuthold did not see the situation in the same light as Allonas. Leauthold noted Allonas had been released from prison early.
“Look, what we have here. I have to decide was he in the drug house for drugs or did he happen upon a situation where he became a Good Samaritan. I would have to believe that he just happened to be where his friends were in a house where drug activity was going on.” Leuthold said. “He knew exactly what was going on. He got out of there before the police got there.”
Leuthold noted Allonas refused a drug test.
“A drug test would have settled this,” Leuthold said. “If he tested negative that night, this would all be over. I’d have believed him. It’s hard for me to buy this wrong place, wrong time defense he’s put up. I can’t believe he was an innocent bystander and not taking drugs.”
Leuthold noted Allonas did not contact his probation officer as he should have.
“He never said a word til he was arrested,” Leuthold added. “Considering the underlying felony, I cannot give him a pass.”
Leuthold reimposed the 36-month prison sentence. Allonas will be given jail time credit. Leuthold said he would not oppose transitional control if the state requested it.