By krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Harassment charges took top billing on the Crawford County Common Pleas Court docket Wednesday afternoon.
Forty-year-old Bruce Christlieb, of Bucyrus, pleaded guilty to harassment by an inmate, a fifth-degree felony. Due to a prior felony on his record, Christlieb was prison eligible and received a seven-month prison sentence.
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A few poor decisions by Justin Steele turned a simple disorderly conduct into a felony. Steele pleaded guilty to harassment with a bodily substance, a fifth-degree felony.
The incident occurred on Dec. 11 when Steele spit on a corrections officer while being held at the county jail for disorderly conduct by intoxication.
Judge Sean Leuthold sentenced Steele to five years on community control and 30 days in the county jail.
“I am so sorry for the chance you did give me,” Steele told the judge, who released Steele on a personal recognizance bond at his arraignment hearing only to have the defendant violate the bond at a later date.
“I messed that up. I’m so sorry about that,” Steele said.
“Can’t go out, get drunk, and then spit on police,” Leuthold responded. “We don’t let that happen around here.”
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An error on his record saw Kris Laughbaum pleading guilty to a misdemeanor rather than a felony.
The 57-year-old Galion man was originally charged with felony OVI, but a correction to his record reduced the charge to an unclassified misdemeanor due to the fewer number of OVI offenses over six years.
Leuthold sentenced Laughbaum to 12 months in the county jail, though the case will be reviewed after six months. He has a report date of April 30. Laughbaum must also pay a $2,750 fine and forfeit his vehicle’s plates. His driver’s license was suspended for 10 years.
“I have a business I know I’m going to lose,” Laughbaum acknowledged when the judge gave him a chance to speak.
“I don’t know what to tell you,” Leuthold said, noting that the defendant had been in an accident and had a high blood alcohol level. “Not only did you not learn your lesson, but you did it two more times.”
Laughbaum admitted that he had been sober a number of months before the incident, but began drinking again out of grief for a family member who died.
Leuthold, in turn, said he would have been sympathetic to Laughbaum’s plight if the man had been drinking at home in order to deal with the loss of a loved one.
“You’re lucky you’re not dead,” Leuthold said. “You’re lucky you didn’t hurt anybody. You’re lucky this is only a misdemeanor.”