By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Stretching the truth of the events surrounding his probation violation did not keep Robert Jones in Judge Sean Leuthold’s good graces.
The 24-year-old Bucyrus man appeared in Crawford County Common Pleas Court Tuesday afternoon for a community control violation hearing. Jones admitted to violating the terms of his probation when he violated a civil protection order on June 6, but it was up to the attorneys to argue proper sentencing in the case.
Assistant prosecutor Ryan Hoovler stated that Jones pleaded guilty to burglary and theft in 2011 and was sentenced to four years and nine months in July of that year. Five months later – Jan. 19, 2011 – Jones was granted judicial release. According to Hoovler, Jones was caught on a probation violation in October of 2012.
“This isn’t his first time he was PV’d (probation violation),” Hoovler pointed out before addressing the issue of community control. “I don’t see how that is appropriate.”
Defense attorney Andrew Motter attempted to argue on behalf of his client.
“He should have known better,” Motter acknowledged, explaining to Leuthold that the victim told Jones the civil protection order had been lifted.
Motter pointed out that Jones’ conduct, while wrong, was nothing like his actions the first time around.
As Leuthold mulled over the arguments laid out by the attorneys, he asked for the facts from the civil protection order violation. When the documents were handed over to him, it did not take the judge long to find the discrepancies in Jones’ story and the details found in the civil protection order violation.
“This is a completely different police report,” Leuthold said as he read the events out loud.
“I know that’s the way it seems, but it wasn’t technically that way,” Jones said. He admitted to getting into the fight with the women involved in the protection order, but added that he tried to take responsibility for his actions.
“I’m just not buying any of this,” Leuthold stated. “Community control would be a complete waste of time.”
Leuthold re-imposed the original four-year, nine-month prison sentence handed down in 2011. Jones will also be required to complete three years of mandatory post release control.
As Jones prepared to go to prison, Frederick Staats was preparing to get out.
The 45-year-old Crestline man was granted judicial release after serving just over 100 days in prison. Staats was placed on community control for five years and a post-sentence investigation was ordered.
Staats originally pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer, a fourth-degree felony, at the end of May and received an 18-month prison sentence.
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