BUCYRUS — A recent crackdown on felony probationers in Crawford County resulted in several arrests and community control violations. Three were addressed in Crawford County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday.
Kimberly Dauchenbaugh, 32, of Bucyrus pleaded guilty to violating the terms and conditions of her community control. In June, Dauchenbaugh was sentenced to 36 months in prison after she pleaded guilty to endangering children, a third-degree felony punishable with up to 36 months in prison.
In August, Dauchenbaugh was granted judicial release. According to allegations presented by Chief Probation Officer Eric Bohach, between December and February, Dauchenbaugh associated with a known felon. She also tested positive for meth and oxycodone and admitted to using the oxycodone without a prescription. Bohach also told the court that based on texts retrieved from Dauchenbaugh’s cell phone, she may have been engaging as a middle person for drug sales.
Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold noted that Dauchenbaugh’s son had been removed from her custody after he tested positive for drugs. Since her judicial release, she had not been permitted to see the child.
Leuthold reimposed the 36-month prison sentence.
“You used drugs to the point that you harmed your children. You’re going back to prison,” Leuthold said. “No more chances for you. I hope the drugs and the felon were worth it.”
Kristen Nickelson, 26, of Galion pleaded guilty to violating the terms and conditions of her community control. She was placed on community control in 2017 after she pleaded guilty to one count of possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. She was sent to prison in November 2017 and granted judicial release in April 2018 and placed on five years of community control. Nickelson was indicted on a new charge of possession of drugs in January after she was found in possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.
According to probation officer Jessica Sinclair, a home visit resulted in officers finding Nickelson preparing to leave the residence. Her one-year old child was found sleeping in an upstairs bedroom, in the care of a male friend of Nickelson. According to probation officers, drugs were on a dresser less than five feet from the sleeping child.
“Here are the facts: you have not done well on community control. It upsets me beyond words that a one-year old child was in the house with some guy you don’t even know that well who was babysitting, and drugs were about five feet from this sleeping baby,” Leuthold said. “People say there are not victims in drug addiction. Everyone says they are only hurting themselves with their behavior. That’s not true. These innocent children are the real victims here.”
Leuthold imposed an 18-month prison sentence. Nickelson had submitted a letter to Leuthold which he acknowledged receiving.
“I want to again thank our probation department for being aggressive. Their work probably prevented something far worse from happening,” Leuthold said. “And Ms. Nickelson, I read your letter. It was well written with beautiful penmanship. But I can’t take anything you say seriously. When you can endanger a one-year-old, then that elicits no sympathy from me. I cannot comprehend how you could expect any sympathy from me when, in fact, you could be facing additional charges of endangering a child.”
Kimberly Fox, 34, of Bucyrus pleaded guilty to violating the terms and conditions of her community control. Fox was sentenced to prison in January after she pleaded guilty to having weapons under disability, a third-degree felony punishable with up to 36 months in prison and one count of possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony punishable with up to 12 months in prison. Fox was granted judicial release in June and placed on five years of community control.
According to probation officer Heydinger, a routine urinalysis tested positive for meth and was confirmed by a lab. Fox admitted to purchasing marijuana on the street.
Fox told the court she had done the best she could but that it was difficult. She said she met a good man and had abandoned her old lifestyle and the people associated with it.
“I slipped up and smoked marijuana,” Fox said.
“Well that explains it. When you buy drugs off the street, you have no idea what’s in them. You had your chance on community control after a judicial release,” Leuthold said. “I appreciate what you said, but I don’t have a choice in this case.”
Leuthold reimposed the 36-month prison sentence. He told Fox he would suggest transitional control in her case.