City woman gets prison on drug charges

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A Van Wert woman sentenced to prison on drug-related charges was among 17 people who appeared for criminal hearings this past week in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

Virginia Schrader, 29, was sentenced to 36 months on a charge of aggravated trafficking in drugs, a felony of the third degree, with credit for 120 days already served; 18 months in prison on a charge of aggravated trafficking in drugs, a fourth-degree felony, with 120 days credit for time served; and 12 months in prison on a charge of permitting drug abuse, a felony of the fifth degree, with credit for 120 days already served. The prison sentences are to run concurrently. A vehicle owned by Schrader that was involved in commission of the crimes was ordered forfeited to the West Central Crime Task Force.

William Wellek, 60, no address given, was sentenced to 17 months in prison on a charge of receiving stolen property, with credit for 125 days already served; and 12 months in prison on a charge of vandalism, a fifth-degree felony, with credit for 94 days served. The charges will run concurrently.

Earlier Wednesday, Wellek had changed his plea to guilty to the vandalism charge. A companion charge of tampering with evidence was dismissed b prosecutors in exchange for his guilty plea on the vandalism count.

Others sentenced include the following:

Nicole Conn, 42, of Van Wert, was sentenced to three years of community control on one count each of possession of heroin, possession of cocaine, and aggravated possession of drugs, all felonies of the fifth degree. As part of her community control sentence, Conn must spend up to six months in the Western Ohio Regional Treatment and Habilitation (WORTH) Center in Lima, perform 200 hours of community service, and undergo a substance abuse assessment and any treatment recommended.

Devin Walsh, 20, of Ohio City, was sentenced to two years of community control on a charge of possession of marijuana, a felony of the fifth degree. He was also prohibited from using alcohol or taking drugs without a prescription and must undergo substance abuse and mental health assessments, as well as participate in any treatment recommended.

Shawn Clouatre, 25, of Convoy, was given three years of community control, including up to six months in the WORTH Center, on a charge of possession of heroin, a felony of the fourth degree. He must also seek employment after his term in the WORTH Center and undergo substance abuse and mental health assessments and any treatment recommended.

Also Wednesday, Timothy Taylor, 36, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count each of forgery, a felony of the fifth degree, and passing bad checks, a misdemeanor of the first degree, during an arraignment hearing on Wednesday. Taylor was released on an unsecured personal surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 17.

In addition to Wellek, five people changed their pleas during hearings in Common Pleas Court. They include:

Dillon Nihiser, 23, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to one count each of theft and aggravated possession of drugs, each a felony of the fifth degree. He then requested, and was granted, intervention in lieu of conviction and his case was stayed pending successful completion of a substance abuse treatment program.

Ryan Miller, 29, of Lima, changed his plea to guilty to a charge of theft, a felony of the fifth degree. Judge Martin D. Burchfield then ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 15.

Kyle Goodwin, 30, of Van Wert, changes his plea to guilty to two counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs, each a felony of the fourth degree. An additional pretrial conference was set for 9 a.m. April 17.

Cody Lippi, 29, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to one count of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. He then requested, and was granted, intervention in lieu of conviction and his case was stayed pending completion of a substance abuse treatment program.

Jeffery Adam Craft, 35, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to one count each of possession of cocaine and possession of heroin, each a felony of the fifth degree. A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing set for a later date.

Also, Jacob Cowan, 22, of Scott, admitted to violating his probation by failing a drug test, failing to report to probation, and failing to appear for evaluation for drug court. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail, with credit for 152 days already served.

Zachariah Germann, 31, of Van Wert, admitted to violating his surety bond and his treatment in lieu of conviction program by testing positive for illegal drugs. He was sentenced to continue his treatment in lieu program for a new one-year period.

Tyler Dunn, 28, of Van Wert, signed a waiver of his constitutional right to a speedy trial and requested, and was granted, additional time to prepare his case. A pretrial conference was set for Wednesday, April 24.

Colby Black, 35, of Ohio City, had his bond modified to a personal surety bond, with electronically monitored house arrest, with the additional condition that he have no contact with Amanda Black or Chasity Norton. A pretrial conference was scheduled for 9 a.m. April 17.