The Van Wert County Courthouse

Friday, Mar. 29, 2024

Man ‘not ready for probation’ gets prison

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Previous misdeeds caught up to a Van Wert man who was sentenced to 18 months in prison on a drug-related charge, while a Paulding man received 1½ years in jail for telecommunications harassment during hearings held Wednesday in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

Ryan Schaadt, 29, of Van Wert, was given 18 months in prison on a charge of possession of heroin, a felony of the fourth degree. Judge Charles D. Steele also gave Schaadt credit for 90 days already served.

Ryan Schaadt listens during his sentencing hearing Wednesday in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court. (Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent)
Ryan Schaadt listens during his sentencing hearing Wednesday in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court. (Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent)

Schaadt’s attorney, Dillon Staas, had asked for community service for his client, noting Schaadt wanted to continue substance abuse therapy in Celina.

“I don’t think you’re ready to start the program yet,” the judge said and listed a number of problems probation and jail officials have had with Schaadt, including failing to return on time from a trip to Lima to apply for Medicaid, failing a drug test after an interview with the Van Wert County Job and Family Services Department, hiding medication in the waistband of his pants and smoking without authorization while in the county jail.

Judge Steele did give Schaadt credit for 90 days already served while awaiting sentencing.

Roger M. Hibbard, 37, of Paulding, received three consecutive 180-day sentences for telecommunications harassment stemming from calling his estranged wife, and attempting to call her, on multiple occasions after a “no contact” order was in place.

While Hibbard admitted he had “screwed up my life”, he also said he hadn’t threatened anyone, but was merely trying to check up on his daughter. He also claimed he wanted to fix things with his estranged wife, although it was plain from her victim’s statement she wasn’t buying any of it.

Calling her husband a “pathological liar,” the victim said Hibbard had threatened both her and her entire family and had repeatedly refused to get counseling when she tried to help him with his mental problems.

As part of Hibbard’s sentencing, Judge Steele gave him credit for 12 days already served.

Three other people were sentenced on Wednesday. They include:

  • Arnold DeLeon, 45, of Convoy, was given five years of community control, including 180 days in jail, on a charge of operating a vehicle while under the influence, a felony of the fourth degree. DeLeon’s driver’s license was also suspended for 10 years and he was fined $1,550, plus court costs.
  • Shane Harter, 34, of Delphos, was given three years of community control, including a six-month jail term on a charge of burglary, a felony of the third degree. Judge Steele ordered that Harter’s jail term begin at 8 a.m. Monday, July 28.
  • Steven Parsons, 35, of Van Wert, was given three years of community control, including up to six months in the Western Ohio Regional Treatment and Habilitation (WORTH) Center in Lima, on one count of aggravated possession of drugs. He also received a six-month driver’s license suspension.

Also Wednesday, Aaron Joseph, 26, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to aggravated trafficking in drugs, a felony of the fourth degree. As a result of a plea negotiation, a second count of trafficking in heroin, a fifth-degree felony, was dismissed in exchange for his guilty plea on the aggravated trafficking count. Judge Steele ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for 2 p.m. Wednesday, August 27.

Shad Boyd, 38, of Lima, entered not guilty pleas to three counts of possession of drugs, each a felony of the fifth degree, during his arraignment hearing on Wednesday. The indictment also included a specification that he used $472 in cash in the commission of the crimes. Boyd was released on a personal surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. Wednesday, July 29.

Two people appeared Tuesday in Common Pleas Court on probation violation charges. They include:

  • Adam Stripe, 37, of Van Wert, admitted to violating his probation by using heroin and failing to report to probation. He was resentenced to three years of community control, plus an additional 60 days in jail.
  • Michael Whisman, 23, of Van Wert, admitted to violating his probation by testing positive for opiates and marijuana. He was also resentenced to three years of community control, with an additional 60 days in jail tacked on for the probation violation.

POSTED: 07/24/14 at 7:03 am. FILED UNDER: News