9 people appear in Common Pleas Court

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A total of nine people appeared for a variety of hearings Wednesday in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

Judge Martin Burchfield presided over four changes of plea and a bond hearing, while Probate-Juvenile Court Judge Kevin Taylor presided over four hearings, including two sentencings.

Charles Myers IV, 34, of Van Wert, was given three years of community control on one count each of possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, and drug possession, a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Myers must also participate in drug court and has his driver’s license suspended for six months.

Robin Higginbotham, 51, of Van Wert, was given one year of community control on a charge of attempted aggravated possession of drugs, a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Those entering plea changes are as follows:

Tyler Lovette, 21, of Maria Stein, changed his plea to guilty to a charge of attempted importuning, a misdemeanor of the first degree (reduced from importuning, a fifth-degree felony). Two other similar charges were dismissed in exchange for his guilty plea.

Brady Etzler, 25, of Van Wert, pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated trespass, a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Brandon Barnes, 33, of Van Wert, entered a guilty plea to a charge of possession of heroin, a felony of the fifth degree. A second count of the same offense was dismissed in exchange for his guilty plea.

Steven Diltz, 30, of Delphos, changed his plea to guilty to two counts of breaking and entering, each a felony of the fifth degree.

A presentence investigation was ordered in all four cases and sentencing was scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 27, for each of the four defendants.

Paul Grandsko, 39, of Toledo, entered a guilty plea to an amended charge of theft, a felony of the fifth degree (reduced from aggravated theft, a third-degree felony). Judge Taylor then scheduled a hearing for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 6, on Grandsko’s motion for treatment in lieu of conviction.

Nicholas Comment, 26, of Preble, Indiana, signed a time waiver as part of his request for a continuance of his case, which was scheduled for May 11. Judge Taylor granted the request and set a pretrial conference for 8 a.m. May 6.

Melissa Frasl, 34, of Delphos, was released from jail on a personal surety bond on the condition she have her medication supervised on a daily basis. A pretrial conference was also scheduled for 8 a.m. Friday, May 29.