By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
Following 29-year-old Ryan Noe’s admission to sex-related charges that involved a 15-year-old girl, Judge Sean Leuthold wasted no time in expressing his feelings.
The Crawford County Common Pleas Court judge described Noe’s actions as “disgraceful, disgusting and completely unacceptable.”
Noe was charged with second-degree felony pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, as well as violating his probation from a previous conviction of tampering with evidence. The judge followed the recommended sentence worked out with the Prosecutor’s Office and sentenced Noe to the maximum prison term of eight years in the new case and ordered it served consecutively with a prison term of 24 months out of a possible 36 months on the probation violation for a total of 10 years. In addition, Noe will have to register as a Tier II sex offender for 25 years once released from prison. He is also subject to five years of mandatory post-release control.
In making his case for the maximum sentence, Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Hoovler reviewed the evidence in a video secured by the Crestline Police Department that showed Noe and an underage female engaged in sexual activity.
“Mr. Noe was involved in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old-girl for about two years,” Hoovler said.
The judge referred to his oft-repeated warning to convicted drug traffickers and adapted it to the recent rash of cases involving sex-related offenses that have come in his courtroom.
“This is absolutely the last county in the state of Ohio you want to be found guilty of abusing children,” Leuthold said. “If I could put Mr. Noe in prison for more than eight years, I would probably do so.”
Addressing Noe before he left the courtroom, the judge said, “You’ve got a lot of things to make up for. I urge you to find a way to atone for these crimes.”
The judge also indicated that Noe may be back in court to face additional charges as a result of evidence in possession of authorities.
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In a case connected with a plea hearing on Monday, Kevin Foust pleaded guilty to felony 5 drug possession and was sentenced to 12 months in prison, the same sentence as Faust’s co-defendant Joshua Prosser.
Like Prosser, charges of aggravated burglary, robbery, and multiple counts of theft of drugs were dismissed as part of the plea agreement due to issues for the prosecution in having the witness testify.
Prosser was scheduled to go to trial this week and Foust in May.
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Twenty-year-old Takoda Wilburn was able to avoid a felony record with his plea agreement.
Wilburn was originally charged with felony 4 improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle. Wilburn was able to plead guilty to the reduced charge of misdemeanor criminal mischief.
As part of his sentence of a year on probation, Wilburn must pay a $100 fine, make restitution of $100 and perform 100 hours of community service. Wilburn has already completed approximately 60 hours of community service.