BUCYRUS — Lonnie Chaney of Mt. Gilead appeared in Crawford County Common Pleas Court on Monday to change his plea on a drug possession charge.
Chaney, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in drugs, a third-degree felony punishable with up to 36 months in prison.
In a plea deal, Crawford County Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold sentenced Chaney to a flat 18 months in prison. Chaney will forfeit all drug-related property to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office. He will receive 36 days of jail time credit and Leuthold said he would not oppose transitional control if the prison requested it.
In other court action, Elizabeth Fowler, 39, of Mansfield admitted to violating the terms and conditions of her community control. Fowler was placed on community control in September of 2017 for complicity, a fourth-degree felony punishable with up to 18 months in prison.
According to probation officer Eric Bohach, Fowler overdosed on September 2, requiring emergency personnel to administer 8 mg of Narcan to be revived. She tested positive for cocaine and it was found in her possession along with fentanyl.
Leuthold sentenced Fowler to nine months in prison but told Fowler he would not oppose transitional control if the prison requested it.
“Please, Miss Fowler, I don’t want to see you dead. Good luck,” Leuthold said.
Riley Pritchard, 22, of Bucyrus appeared to answer to charges of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a 15-year-old. Pritchard appeared in court on a summons.
Leuthold took a moment to review the police report in the case. The police became involved when the alleged victim and his father got into an argument over the relationship.
Because she appeared on a summons, Leuthold granted Pritchard a personal recognizance bond and appointed attorney Tani Eyer to represent her.
“You are to have no contact with the victim in this case. No phone calls, no texts, no social media,” Leuthold said. “If the victim contacts you, you must ignore the contact. If you don’t, guess whose bond will be revoked and who will sit in jail until the matter is resolved? You will.”
Jesse Thoman, 41, of Crestline was arraigned via video from the Crawford County Justice Center. Thoman is charged with one count of conveyance of drugs into a detention center, a third-degree felony punishable with up to 36 months in prison, one count of tampering with evidence, also a third-degree felony punishable with up to 36 months in prison, one count of possession of meth, a fifth-degree felony punishable with up to 12 months in prison and one misdemeanor count of possession of drugs, punishable with up to six months in jail.
Leuthold appointed attorney Andrew Motter to represent Thoman and bond was set at $150,000.