BUCYRUS — Christopher Barber, 24, of Mansfield was arraigned in Crawford County Common Pleas Court on Monday.
Barber is accused of a second-degree felony charge of assault and a first-degree felony charge of aggravated robbery.
Barber is accused of the beating and robbery of a 75-year-old woman in the 100 block of Dudley St., in Bucyrus. The woman was beaten with a waste management tool used to clean up after dogs.
Barber was captured with the cooperation of Richland County law enforcement. He made an initial appearance in Municipal Court and Judge Shane Leuthold set Baber’s bond at $500,000.
Barber was arraigned in Crawford County Common Pleas Court via a video stream from the Crawford County Jail.
Judge Sean Leuthold said he looked at the pictures of the victim in this case and found them disturbing.
“When you see this kind of violence toward an elderly person, steps must be taken to protect the public,” Leuthold said.
Barber’s bond was increased to $1 million. Leuthold appointed Bucyrus attorney Brad Starkey to defend Barber.
In other court proceedings, Corey Sesco, 25, currently incarcerated at the Grafton Correctional Institution was brought to court for a change of plea.
Sesco pleaded guilty to one fourth-degree felony charge of theft. Leuthold sentenced Sesco to 18 months in prison. Leuthold ordered his sentence to begin at the completion of his sentence of three years in Richland County cases of theft and burglary.
“You have to serve all your other sentences and then you will serve ours,” Leuthold said. “I will help you. You may not like it, but I will help you.”
Troy Miller, 57, of Mansfield pleaded guilty to one third-degree felony charge of failure to comply, one count of improper handling of a firearm in a car, one count of improperly handling a firearm, both fourth-degree felony charges; a fifth-degree felony charge of possession of drugs and a misdemeanor charge for possession of drug paraphernalia.
Leuthold sentenced Miller to five years of probation. He also suspended Miller’s driving privileges for life, and ordered him to forfeit all weapons, including several guns, ammunition and one knife to law enforcement. If he violates the terms and conditions of his probation, he will be sentenced to 54 months in prison.
Leuthold noted that he made the decision to give Miller the opportunity for community control because of his failing health. Miller appeared frail in court and breathed with the assistance of oxygen.
“You only get to play the health card once with me,” Leuthold said. “If you get behind the wheel of a car, if you drink one drop, you are going to prison. If you test me, I’ll put you in prison, and guess what…in prison they don’t care if you’re sick or not.”
Heather Pfeifer, 33, of Bucyrus was sentenced to community control after she pleaded guilty to a second-degree felony charge for burglary. Leuthold told the court it was not a typical burglary case.
Pfeifer confronted a neighbor in her building after they had several verbal altercations focused on noise. Leuthold said the situation got out of hand and Pfeifer over reacted and entered the residence to confront the neighbor.
Pfeifer, who spent the past 64 days in jail, told Leuthold she intended to move. She told the court she had been in anger management counseling while in jail and planned to continue counseling upon her release. Pfeifer’s attorney Joel Spitzer informed the court that he had advised his client not to take the deal but to move forward with trial.
Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Hoovler said the state felt it was a reasonable resolution to avoid trial.
“It was a happy medium,” Hoovler said.
Leuthold warned Pfeifer to have no contact at all with the victim.
“If you see her, drive on by. If she flips you off, don’t return the favor because that’s a violation,” Leuthold said. “I like what I’m hearing from you and that you are going to move. This is a serious matter. The punishment fits the crime. Justice has been served.”