By Gary Ogle and Krystal Smalley
gogle@wbcowqel.com; ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
A former Crestline school teacher avoided both prison and having to register as sex offender on Tuesday. Brittany Hall is still without her teaching license however.
The 25-year-old Hall pleaded no contest in Crawford County Common Pleas Court to an amended charge of first-degree misdemeanor assault. Hall was placed on community control for one year and fined $250.
Hall, who lives in Bucyrus, was originally indicted by the Crawford County Grand Jury on charges of felony 3 sexual battery and felony 4 unlawful sexual conduct with a minor after an investigation by the Crestline school district that she was involved with a student.
If given the maximum consecutive sentences on the original charges Hall could have been sent to prison for 78 months. If Hall fails to successfully complete her community control she could be sentenced to serve six months in the county jail. Hall also surrendered her state teaching license.
Hall’s attorney, James Mayer III, told Judge Russell Wiseman that the situation “has had life-changing consequences for her.”
Hall was alleged to have been involved in a sexual relationship with one of her students during the spring of 2012. Hall turned 23 during that time and the victim was a freshman. The alleged affair was not discovered until a year later and Hall went on paid administrative leave on May 3 of 2013. She resigned her job with the district on March 7, 2014.
“The wishes of the victim and the victim’s family were taken into consideration,” Crawford County Prosecutor Matt Crall said. “We believe we reached the conclusion that was best for all involved including the victim and the Crestline school district, and fair for everyone.”
In addition to teaching at Crestline, Hall was also a girls basketball coach and baseball volunteer.
Phillip Tesso Jr. of Crestline will go to prison. The 22-year-old Tesso admitted to community control violations and was sentenced to prison for 36 months. Tesso can apply for judicial release after serving one year. When released, Tesso will be sent to an in-patient drug treatment facility.
Tesso’s violations included testing positive for heroin and marijuana. Tesso’s original conviction was felony 3 theft.
Twenty-three-year-old Andrew Reedy of rural Crestline was granted his motion to be placed on the county’s diversion program. Reedy pleaded guilty to felony 5 forgery. That plea is being held and the case will be dismissed if Reedy successfully completes diversion. Reedy was also ordered to pay $500 in restitution. He told the court he had already done so.
Forty-five-year-old Brigette Bibb of Galion pleaded guilty to felony 4 theft. Bibb was placed on community control for three years with the stipulation she undergo a drug and alcohol assessment and any recommended follow-up treatment.
Bibb must also pay $5,000 in restitution. Should she not successfully complete community control, she should be sentenced to 15 months in prison.
Forty-two-year-old Delphin Duffield of Bucyrus pleaded guilty to a charge of felony 5 receiving stolen property. Duffield was placed on community control for three years and must pay restitution in the amount of $3,825.75. Duffield could be sent to prison for 12 months if he fails to successfully compete community control.
Thirty-year-old Ryan Mason of Galion admitted to his community control violations and will be spending some time in jail. Mason, who had pleaded guilty to failure to comply with the order of a police officer in 2009, had been on community control after serving a period in prison.
Mason admitted that his urine tested positive for cocaine and he had been thrown out of the county’s drug court program on May 13.
As part of his agreement with the prosecution, Mason will serve 90 days in the county jail during which time his community control will be tolled. Upon completion of his jail sentence, Mason will be terminated from probation unsuccessfully. Judge Russell Wiseman granted work release privileges upon approval by the Sheriff. Mason must report to the Crawford County Justice Center at 7 p.m. on Sept. 5.
Jacob Bohach was granted a second chance in Crawford County Common Pleas Court Tuesday afternoon but not before Wiseman gave him a few valuable pointers to make a good impression. Wiseman advised Bohach to sit up straight and speak up as the soon-to-be-retired judge walked the 23-year-old Galion man through his rights.
Bohach entered a guilty plea to a felony five drug possession charge, which will be held until he successfully completes his two-year intervention program. Bohach admitted to possessing Oxycodone on Dec. 31.
Thirty-five-year-old Melinda Monroe of Galion admitted to her community control violations but it will still be a short while before she finds out the consequences of her actions. Monroe admitted to testing positive for THC and attempting to alter her urine on March 12. She also admitted to trafficking in counterfeit controlled substances on Oct. 29 and Nov. 9. All of the violations were counts she had already pleaded guilty to in Wyandot County Common Pleas Court.
Monroe’s case was continued for disposition until after her baby is born.
The seriousness of Marissa Donohue’s crimes combined with her continued substance abuse landed her a high bond Tuesday afternoon. Donohue had served time in prison for first-degree felony aggravated robbery and trafficking in drugs before being put on community control last September.
Donohue’s parole officer said the 22-year-old Galion woman had obstructed official business and had drug paraphernalia on May 2, changed her residence without permission and failed to complete a drug and alcohol treatment program on April 26. All three of the violations occurred in Lucas County. Donohue had also allegedly refused to submit to a drug screen as ordered by her parole officer on Aug. 21.
Wiseman appointed attorney Russell Long to Donohue and set her bond at $100,000 with the condition that she enter a drug treatment program if she is able to bond out.
Thirty-two-year-old Zachary Tolar of Bucyrus will have to prove he’s indigent before Judge Wiseman will provide him with a lawyer. Tolar was unable to prove his indigent status during his community control violation hearing Tuesday. Wiseman set bond at $75,000 and ordered Tolar to enter into a drug treatment program if he is able to bond out.
Tolar, who had been on community control since October of 2012, is facing multiple violation allegations. His parole officer alleged that Tolar had taken property belonging to his father without his father’s consent on Aug. 24 and refused to submit to a drug screening as ordered by his parole officer on Aug. 25.