Inmate’s phone privileges suspended pending judge’s investigation

By Kathy Laird
CCN Correspondent

Jeremy Lewis, 43, of Bucyrus appeared before Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold on Wednesday for a hearing on a motion filed by the state.

Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Hoovler filed a motion with the court to suspend Lewis’ phone privileges. Lewis is an inmate in the Crawford County Justice Center.

During the hearing, both Hoovler and Lewis’ attorney Andrew Motter presented witnesses.

Before witness testimony, Motter told the court Lewis did not know he could not contact the alleged victim. Leuthold assured Motter that the bail sheet in the case noted that he was to have no contact with the victim. Motter argued that Lewis did not receive a copy of that order.

“Well we will fix that right now,” Leuthold said.

He pulled the sheet from Lewis’ file that was signed and dated March 7. Leuthold had copies made for all the parties.

According to Hoovler, the state monitors phone calls made by inmates at the jail. Hoovler had the calls reviewed and made the motion to revoke phone privileges. According to Hoovler, Lewis was contacting family members and asking them to get the victim to their house and then arrange a phone call between the two.

As its witness, the prosecution called Detective Tracy Keegan of the Bucyrus Police Department. Keegen explained, that in reviewing the calls, he found a call placed to Lewis’ father, Edward L. Lewis, regarding the exchange of personal items that the alleged victim wanted back in her possession as well as items that she had that belonged to Lewis.

Keegen said that when Lewis asked his father if the items had been exchanged and he found out they had not. He suggested that his father set a time with the alleged victim to pick up her drums and guitar. He then wanted his father to let him know of the time so he could place a call to his father and then speak to the alleged victim.

Keegen testified that when he discovered this plan, he contacted the victim and told her not to go to the residence without a police officer with her.

During a cross-examination, Motter asked Keegen if he knew that it was the victim who made the initial phone call to arrange to exchange personal property. Keegen reinforced his stance that there was a plan to get the victim to the house and for the defendant to call to talk to her.

Motter called Edward L. Lewis to the stand to testify. Lewis said he was familiar with his son’s girlfriend and wanted her to know that he would be there for her if she needed to talk or any other help. Lewis testified that he did not actually talk to the victim, but that his girlfriend relayed messages between the two of them via texting. In the text, the alleged victim wanted to know when she could get her drums and guitar from Lewis’ home on a Saturday. Lewis indicated to her that she could get the items whenever she wanted them. They set an appointment, but she didn’t show up to retrieve the items.

During a cross-examination, Hoovler asked Lewis if a time was set. He asked Lewis if Jeremy Lewis indicated he wanted to know the time she was coming to retrieve her items so he could talk to her.

“I believe he did say something of that effect to me,” Edward Lewis said.

In closing remarks, Hoovler told the court there was an “obvious desire to speak with the victim.”

He told the Judge that this is the evidence that is clearly explained in the phone calls.

In his closing remarks, Motter said that the state was unable to verify that Lewis had received notice that he was to have no contact with the victim. He said that Lewis wants to stay in close contact with his father, because his health is declining and also wants to be able to speak with his children.

Hoovler came back at Motter and told the court, “It only takes one call to scare a victim.”

Judge Sean Leuthold decided to suspend Lewis’ phone privileges until he had a chance to listen to the phone calls that were recorded.

“If I listen to these calls and deem that there was no intent to contact the victim in this case, I will restore Mr. Lewis’ phone privileges,” Leuthold said.

Leuthold told both parties he would have his final decision by Friday.