Shooting, meth lab suspects enter pleas

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A Delphos man accused of shooting another man in Middle Point and four Ohio City residents facing charges arising from three Ohio City area meth labs were among 11 people arraigned in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday. A total of 16 people appeared on a variety of criminal charges yesterday.

Blake Kimmet, 19, of Delphos, pleaded not guilty to one count each of felonious assault, a felony of the second degree, and aggravated riot, a fourth-degree felony, with a specification that he used a Glock pistol and 2005 Toyota Forerunner in the commission of the crimes.

Kimmet’s charges stem from the alleged shooting of an unidentified man in Middle Point on April 25 as a result of an altercation.

He is being held on a $500,000 cash/commercial surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. Wednesday, May 24.

Thomas Buckner Jr., Jessica Garrett, Dan Swoveland, and Reanne Jordan are all facing charges related to the discovery of three one-pot meth labs at two locations: 15766 and 15778 Koch Road.

Buckner, 41, entered not guilty pleas to two counts of illegal manufacturing of drugs and one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, all first-degree felonies; and one count each of illegal assembly of drugs (second-degree felony), endangering children (third-degree felony), and aggravated possession of drugs (fifth-degree felony).

Buckner was ordered held on a $500,000 cash/commercial surety bond and he will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 24.

Swoveland, 63, pleaded not guilty to two counts of illegal manufacture of drugs and one count each of funding of drug trafficking and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, all first-degree felonies, as well as one count of illegal assembly of drugs, a felony of the second degree.

A $150,000 cash/commercial surety bond was set by Judge Martin Burchfield and Swoveland will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 24.

Jessica Garrett, 36, entered not guilty pleas to one count each of complicity in the manufacturing of drugs and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, both felonies of the first degree; one count of complicity in the illegal assembly of drugs, a second-degree felony; and two counts of endangering children, a felony of the third degree.

Garrett was released on a personal surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 24.

Reanne Jordan, 18, pleaded not guilty to one count each of complicity in the manufacturing of drugs and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, both felonies of the first degree; and one count each of complicity in the illegal assembly of drugs, a second-degree felony; and endangering children, a felony of the third degree.

She was also released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m.  Thursday, May 25.

All four were arrested in connection with search warrants executed April 13 by the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the West Central Ohio Crime Task Force at the two Ohio City area locations.

Others arraigned on Wednesday include the following:

Joshua Dorsten, 36, of Mendon, entered not guilty pleas to one count each of felonious assault, a felony of the second degree; and domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor; and two counts of violating a civil protection order, also a first-degree misdemeanor.

Dorsten was released on a surety bond, but must have no contact with the alleged victim in the case. He will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 24.

Dustin Cooper, 33, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count each of tampering with evidence, a felony of the third degree, and aggravated trafficking in drugs, a fifth-degree felony. He was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 24.

Travis Rhinesmith, 38, of Elida, entered not guilty pleas to two counts of aggravated possession of drugs. He was released on a personal surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 24.

Brian Spranger, 30, of Delphos, pleaded not guilty to one count of felonious assault, a felony of the second degree. He was released on a surety bond, but must have no contact with the alleged victim in the case. Spranger will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 25.

Taylor Vannett, 18, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to one count each of burglary, a felony of the second degree; and theft, a fifth-degree felony. A surety bond was set in the case, with a pretrial conference scheduled for 8 a.m. May 25.

Katie Zimmerman, 31, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. She was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 24.

Two people were also sentenced on Wednesday.

Aron Lange, 25, of Celina, was sentenced to 11 months in prison, to be served concurrently with a sentenced handed down in Mercer County, on a charge of receiving stolen property, a felony of the fifth degree. He was given credit for 11 days already served while awaiting sentencing.

Shylyn Shepherd, 19, of Van Wert, was given two years of community service on a first-degree misdemeanor charge of theft. Shepherd must also undergo a substance abuse assessment and any recommended treatment and pay $544.81 in restitution to First Financial Bank.

Also Wednesday, Tyree DeWitt, 25, of Delphos, was given three years of community control, plus six days in jail, after he admitted to violating his probation by breaking another law.

Cody McGinnis, 33, of Van Wert, signed a waiver of his constitutional right to a speedy trial and requested more time to prepare his case, which was granted.

Van Wert County Probate-Juvenile Judge Kevin Taylor also presided over a probation violation case.

Sonny Metzger, 42, of Van Wert, was sentenced to nine months in prison, with credit for 57 days already served, after admitting he violated his probation by failing to notify the probation department of a law enforcement contact.