BUCYRUS — Andrew Israel of Bucyrus appeared in Crawford County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday to answer allegations he violated the terms and conditions of his community control.
Israel, 41, was on community control after he pleaded guilty to assault in 2016. The assault was a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison.
According to probation officer Chris Heydinger, Israel was arrested in Marion in January on charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence and texting while driving. Israel did not report his contact with Marion until April 1.
Crawford County Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold agreed with Heydinger’s recommendation to allow Israel to continue on community control.
“Quite frankly, I was just ready to send you to prison,” Leuthold said. “Chris really went to bat for you and convinced me to give you one last chance. But this is it. If you mess this up, you’re going to prison.”
Leuthold ordered that Israel undergo drug and alcohol testing more frequently.
“If you come back in here, I’m going to be a lot less nice to you than I am being today,” Leuthold said.
In other court action, Joshua Kohls, 39, of Bucyrus appeared to plead guilty to violating the terms and conditions of his community control.
In February 2018, Kohls was sentenced to 36 months in prison for tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony punishable with up to 36 months in prison and 12 months in prison for possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony punishable with up to 12 months in prison. Kohls was granted judicial release in April 2018 and placed on community control.
According to probation officer Eric Bohach, Kohls violated terms and conditions of his community control by receiving an OCI charge in April and then testing positive for meth, cocaine, methamphetamines and fentanyl.
Leuthold noted that Kohls suffers from addiction.
“When he slips, he slips big,” Leuthold said. “He has spent time in prison, jail, and completed a community-based correctional facility program. He does well when he is in a structured environment.”
Leuthold reimposed 12 months in prison on the possession of drug charges. He ordered Kohls back on community control for the remainder of his sentence for the tampering with evidence charge.
“I’m not ready to give up on Mr. Kohls. When he comes out of prison, I am placing him on an intensive supervision program,” Leuthold said. “However, he must go serve this time for violating probation.”
Ronald Kilgore, 53, of Bucyrus pleaded guilty to violating the terms and conditions of his community control and asked the court to be sent to prison. Kilgore tested positive for methamphetamines and morphine in a routine drug test in April.
Kilgore said he discussed with his attorney, Brian Gernert, the personal reasons why he was choosing prison.
Leuthold gave him his wish and sentenced him to a flat eight months on each of the two possession of drugs charges, each a fifth-degree felony and each punishable with up to 12 months in prison.
Kilgore will serve a total of 16 months in prison. He will receive 59 days of jail time credit. Leuthold said he would not oppose transitional control if the prison requested it.