BUCYRUS — A Willard man appeared in Crawford County Common Pleas Court to plead guilty to one count of intimidation, a third-degree felony punishable with up to three years in prison.
Nathan Schwing, 40, admitted to making threats to a Crawford County Sheriff’s deputy after he was stopped for suspicion of OVI. Schwing threatened the deputy, his family and to get even with him when he was released from jail.
When asked if he had anything to say, Schwing apologized to the deputy for his behavior.
Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold accepted a plea negotiation that will include a future judicial release.
“I don’t think you meant what you said. You were drunk out of your mind,” Leuthold said. “We don’t tolerate threats to our officers in this county. If I thought you meant what you said, you would be sitting in prison for the next three years.”
Leuthold sentenced Schwing to 30 months in prison with a possible judicial release after serving 90 days.
“I’ll see you down the road,” Leuthold said.
In other court action, Christopher Carrick, 37, of Tiffin admitted to violating the terms and conditions of his community control after he tested positive for amphetamines and methamphetamines during a routine drug screen.
Carrick was placed on community control in 2016 after he pleaded guilty to theft, a fifth-degree felony punishable with up to one year in prison.
Before pronouncing sentence on Carrick, Leuthold wanted to send a clear message to the inmates in the Crawford County Justice Center regarding rumors that inmates would be released due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.
“Cuyahoga County has released inmates. I am not faulting Cuyahoga County for what they are doing,” Leuthold said. “They have their reasons. Every county is different. But Crawford County is not doing that. In Crawford County, in my court, it’s going to be business as usual. We will be fair in the application of justice. You were under the impression that we were going to let people out. You can let them know that we are not.”
Leuthold sentenced Carrick to one year in prison. He terminated a 2015 case as unsuccessful. Carrick will receive 22 days of jail time credit. Leuthold said he would not oppose transitional control if the prison requested it.
Harold Staiger, 55, of Bucyrus pleaded guilty to violating the terms and conditions of his community control. Staiger was sentenced to 30 months in prison in March 2018 after he pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking in drugs, each a fourth-degree felony and each punishable with up to 18 months in prison. He was granted judicial release in October 2018 and placed on five years of community control.
On March 4, Staiger tested positive in a routine drug screening for buprenorphine, morphine and cocaine. Staiger admitted to using the drugs.
Leuthold reimposed the original 30-month prison sentence. Staiger received jail time credit, prison credit and credit for time in a community-based correctional facility. Leuthold said he would not oppose transitional control if the prison requested it.