Ashley Loftis, 24, of Bucyrus (right) came to the end of her opportunities on community control and was sent back to prison. She is represented by attorney Jerry Thompson (left).

BUCYRUS—Ashley Loftis, 24, of Bucyrus, appeared in Crawford County Common Pleas Court for sentencing after she pleaded guilty to violating the terms and conditions of her community control.

Loftis pleaded guilty to felonious assault, a felony of the second degree, in 2019. She spent six months in jail and then was placed on community control. She was ordered to complete treatment and to participate in Judge Sean Leuthold’s ISAT (Intense Supervision And Treatment) Program.

Loftis failed to seek treatment and failed to report for ISAT meetings. After violating community control, Judge Leuthold sentenced her to prison in May of 2020. She was granted judicial release this January.

According to probation officer Kylie Sinclair, Loftis tested positive for meth and methamphetamines in September. Sinclair said Loftis admitted to using before she even took the test.

In arguing sentence assistant, Prosecutor Ryan Hoovler told the court, “ I don’t believe there’s anywhere else to go in this case except to reimpose the four-year prison sentence.”

Defense attorney Jerry Thompson outlined Loftis’ struggle with drug addiction. Thompson told the court that Loftis sought treatment while in jail and pointed out that a caseworker and a person from the Together We Hurt Together We Heal treatment organization was present in the court on behalf of Loftis.

Judge Leuthold was quick to recognize the good work organizations such as Together We Hurt Together We Heal provide to the community.

“I commend these organizations for the work they do. They stand ready to help individuals who suffer from addiction issues,” Leuthold said.

Leuthold told the court that he was troubled by the fact that Loftis did not seek help until she was in jail.

“There comes a time when a Judge has to say they’ve given a defendant opportunity after opportunity. I have given Ms. Loftis three opportunities, and who knows how many my probation department has given her. This is a violent underlying crime of felonious assault. She used a hammer as a weapon. If this had been a fifth-degree felony, I might have made a different decision. I am reimposing the four-year prison sentence,” Leuthold said.

Judge Leuthold told Loftis if at some point the prison requested transitional control, he would not stand in their way.