BUCYRUS—Several defendants were sentenced in the Crawford County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday.
Cody Barthalow, 27, of Bucyrus, pleaded guilty to one count of abduction, a third-degree felony punishable with up to 36 months in prison.
In an agreed plea negotiation, Crawford County Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold sentenced Barthalow to a flat 12 months in prison.
Due to new sentencing laws, Judge Leuthold was not able to add the sanction of no contact with the victim in the case but had some advice for Barthalow because the charges stemmed from a relationship he was involved in; “Look, you’re going to prison over an abduction related to a relationship. I think it’s clearly over. I suggest you move on with your life,” Leuthold said.
In other court news, Judge Leuthold sentenced Toi Pickens, 33, of Marion. Toi had been free on a $75,000 he posted after failing to report for an office visit for a drug test. As is routine in bond cases, Pickens was tested before court this morning. He tested positive for meth, cocaine, and alcohol.
Pickens was given judicial release in April. He was sentenced to ten years in prison for aggravated burglary in 2014.
Judge Leuthold told Pickens that he had hoped he would do well “I find Mr. Pickens to be an intelligent and sensitive man. I hoped he would take this opportunity and turn his life around. It just did not work out.” Leuthold said.
Leuthold reimposed Pickens’ ten-year prison sentence.
Paul Combs, 54. Of Galion pleaded guilty to one count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony punishable with between 2 and eight years in prison.
In an agreed sentence recommendation, Judge Leuthold sentenced Combs to a flat-four years in prison.
Combs’ crime falls under the Reagan Tokes law. The Ohio Department of Corrections can add up to two years to his prison sentence based on factors including behavior while incarcerated and his threat to society. The department can also reduce his sentence between five and fifteen percent for exemplary behavior. Combs will receive 293 days of jail time credit.
Leona Vasquez, 36, of Mansfield, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of drugs, each fifth-degree felonies and each punishable with up to 12 months in prison.
In an agreed plea negotiation, Vasquez was to receive 12 months in prison. After speaking with her and reviewing her history, Judge Leuthold instead sentenced her to six months in prison on each count for a total of 12 months in prison. He told Vasquez he would not oppose transitional control if the prison requested it.