High bonds set for two pregnant women arrested in drug raid

By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com

Last week ended badly for five people and by the time Monday rolled around, it didn’t get any better for four of them.

Twenty-two-year-old Brittany Johnson, 39-year-old Brian Schlutow, 39-year-old Melissa Stewart, 40-year-old Kevin Stewart, and 27-year-old Jonathon Cramer were arrested during a drug bust this past Friday in Galion. Cramer, who had been arrested on a warrant out of Crestline, had been released with a court date but Johnson, Schlutow, Melissa Stewart and Kevin Stewart were transported to the Crawford County Justice Center on drug charges.

Johnson and both Stewarts appeared in Crawford County Municipal Court Monday afternoon. Schlutow, who is from Mansfield, had been transported to Delaware County where he was wanted on felony warrants.

Despite facing only felony five drug possession charges and admitting to using heroin, Municipal Court Judge Sean Leuthold refused to go lightly on the three who appeared in court via video.

Melissa Stewart, who is seven months pregnant and using drugs, had her bond set a $150,000. She has had two previous theft convictions and had been on probation for a 2012 trafficking in drugs charge when she was arrested. Attorney Russell Long was appointed as Melissa Stewart’s counsel.

Johnson, who is three months pregnant and had been using, had her bond set at $100,000. She will be represented by attorney Grant Garverick.

Kevin Stewart’s bond was set at $100,000 and attorney Brad Starkey was appointed as his counsel.

Twenty-two-year-old Ross Craner of Galion was unsuccessfully terminated from his community control and sentenced to 30 days in the county jail after admitting to community control violations. He failed to complete his court-ordered CROSSWAEH program on Jan. 22.

With a $100,000 Municipal Court bond hanging over his head, 25-year-old Nicolas Saunders of Galion chose not to dispute any of his community control violations in Common Pleas Court Tuesday. Saunders, who had been placed on intervention in April, committed numerous violations since then. He admitted to being charged with a misdemeanor one theft charged on Jan. 8, testing positive for opiates on Jan. 21, and having a firearm under his control on Jan. 8. Wiseman accepted Saunders’ guilty plea to possession of drugs, which was to be held until he successfully completed his intervention program, and placed Saunders on community control for three years with the stipulation that he be held in the county jail until he could be placed in a treatment facility. Saunders’ license was suspended for six months and he must pay a $1,250 mandatory drug fine.

Community control violations seemed to be the name of the game in Crawford County Common Pleas Court Tuesday afternoon with four people facing up to their recent misdeeds.

Spending time together as husband and wife may have taken a different direction for James and Nicole Britt than what most other couples expect. The duo appeared in Crawford County Common Pleas Court Monday afternoon for community control violations.

Nicole Britt’s violations included failing to inform her supervising officer of her change of address on Dec. 9, failing to report to her office visits since Dec. 9, failing to submit to a urine test on Jan. 23 and failing to comply with her counseling. Judge Russell Wiseman appointed attorney Tom Nicholson to her and set bond at $50,000. Nicole Britt had been granted judicial release in November of 2012 after serving time on a third-degree possession of drugs felony charge.

James Britt’s violations included being charged with theft on Jan. 22, failing to notify his supervising officer of his change of address on Dec. 9, failing to report to his monthly office visits since Dec. 9, failing to comply with his substance abuse counseling as ordered by his supervising officer, and failing to submit to a drug test on Jan. 23. Wiseman appointed Geoffrey Stoll to him and set bond at $50,000. He had been granted judicial release in November of 2012 after serving time on a third-degree possession of drugs felony charge.

Thirty-three-year-old Tyrone Bowman’s community control violations included being indicted for a felony five possession of drugs on Jan. 13 and failing to report to his office visits since Dec. 9. Attorney Michael Bear was appointed to Bowman and bond was set at $25,000. Bowman had almost finished his time on community control for theft and possession of drugs charges in 2009 before being brought to court for the violations.

Twenty-seven-year-old Starleena Hunter of Galion appeared in Common Pleas Court after failing to complete her court-ordered substance abuse program. Judge Russell Wiseman appointed attorney Grant Garverick to Hunter, set a personal recognizance bond and ordered her to begin counseling.

Failure to show up for her court hearing has landed 24-year-old Brittany Freeman of Iberia in even hotter water. Wiseman issued a bench warrant for Freeman. She is currently facing two fifth degree felonies of drug possession and forgery.

While most people weren’t grateful to be out in the dropping temperatures,44-year-old Christopher Ruby definitely was. He was granted judicial release in Common Pleas Court and placed on community control for three years. Ruby had served time in prison after pleading guilty to a felony three unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in March of 2011.