BUCYRUS — A Bucyrus man appeared in Crawford County Common Pleas Court to answer a three-count indictment. Shane Hardymon of Bucyrus, but currently housed in the Richland County Jail, appeared before Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold.
Hardymon, 40, is charged with one count of possession of drugs (30 grams of methamphetamine), a second-degree felony punishable with up to eight years in prison, one count of obstructing official business, a second-degree misdemeanor and one count of possession of marijuana punishable with a $150 fine.
According to allegations, the police were summoned to a residence where a man was reportedly talking about God and the virus. When they arrived, they found Hardymon without a shirt on and the word “faith” shaved into his chest hair. When officers asked Hardymon to identify himself, he refused.
Hardymon was subsequently taken to the Crawford County Justice Center, where officers searched his bag and found a large amount of methamphetamine and marijuana.
An animated Hardymon insisted to Leuthold that he was not given due process, and no one told him about the indictment.
“You were charged and seen in Municipal Court,” Leuthold said. “An attorney was appointed, and bond was set. Your case was then bound over to the Grand Jury and an indictment was returned. That’s why you are here today.”
“I was kidnapped against my will,” Hardymon said. “They (deputies) took me to Mansfield and left me to die.”
Leuthold explained to Hardymon that the decision to house him in Mansfield was the sheriff’s decision to make. Hardymon told the court he had asked someone he trusted to call EMTs because he had been at the emergency room three times believing he had COVID-19 and he wanted tested for the virus. He said the people he trusted called police instead of the EMTs.
“I asked for help. I had them call. When the police asked me for my identification, I asked them for theirs,” Hardymon said.
Leuthold explained to Hardymon that the issues he raised should be discussed with his attorney. Leuthold reappointed attorney Andrew Motter to represent Hardymon and bond was set at $100,000.
In other court action, Gary Gallant, 49, of Bucyrus pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of drugs, each fifth-degree felonies and each punishable with up to one year in prison.
According to allegations, Gallant confessed to the use of heroin resulting in the first charge. The state sent the sample out for further testing and results came back positive for fentanyl, resulting in the second charge.
Gallant was offered a flat six months in prison on both counts but rejected that plea in favor of admitting guilt on both charges and receiving five years of community control. If Gallant does not successfully complete community control, he will face two years in prison.
Leuthold went over the agreement with Gallant carefully.
“There’s been a great deal of negotiation in this case. We have a confession to heroin and proof of fentanyl,” Leuthold said. “A conviction on both charges would have been difficult. But instead of taking a flat sentence, you have chosen to plead guilty to two counts in order to receive community control. Is that right Mr. Gallant?”
“Yes, your Honor, that’s the plea I want to make. I need some structure in my life. Thank you for the opportunity,” Gallant said.
Gallant will serve five years on community control. He was ordered to forfeit all drug-related property to the appropriate authorities.
“I hope you take advantage of this,” Leuthold said.
Brooke Kelly, 30, of Galion pleaded guilty to violating the terms of the prosecutor’s intervention in lieu of conviction program as well as a new charge of burglary, a fourth-degree felony punishable with up to 18 months in prison.
According to allegations, in April, Kelly was arrested by Galion Police and charged with burglary. Kelly had failed to report to the supervising officers since October 2019 and was in possession of meth, methamphetamines, and other drugs.
Leuthold sentenced Kelly to a flat six months in prison on the burglary charge and eight months in prison for the violation of the intervention in lieu of conviction for a total of 14 months in prison. Leuthold told Kelly he would not oppose transitional control if the prison requested it.