11 people arraigned on felony charges

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

It was a busy day in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court, as 11 people were arraigned on indictments handed down last Friday by the County Grand Jury. A total of 19 people appeared in Common Pleas Court for criminal hearings this week.

Those arraigned on Wednesday include the following:

Jonathan Slates, 32, of Van Wert, entered not guilty pleas to one count each of aggravated possession of drugs and having weapons under disability, both felonies of the third degree. He was ordered held on a $50,000 cash/commercial surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. Thursday, May 24.

Ryan Schaadt, 33, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count each of aggravated possession of drugs and aggravated trafficking in drugs, both felonies of the third degree. He was ordered held on a $10,000 cash/commercial surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 24.

Stephen Barnhart, 23, of Van Wert, entered not guilty pleas to one count each of illegal conveyance of drugs into a correctional facility, a felony of the third degree, and aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. He was released on a personal surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. Wednesday, May 23.

Jerad Caldwell, 31, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count of illegal conveyance of drugs into a correctional facility, a felony of the third degree. Caldwell was ordered held on a $20,000 cash/commercial surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 23.

Shannon Augustus, 28, of Ohio City, entered not guilty pleas to one count each of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and sexual battery, both felonies of the third degree. She was released on a surety bond, with the stipulation that she have no contact with the alleged victim in the case. She will appear for a pretrial conference on the charges at 8 a.m. May 23.

Philip Raines Sr., 29, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count of domestic violence, a felony of the fourth degree. Bond in the case was continued at $50,000 cash/commercial surety and he will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 23.

Joshua McGinnis, 36, of Convoy, entered a not guilty plea to one count of failure to register as a sex offender, a felony of the fourth degree. He was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 22.

Jasmine Diemer, 34, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, both felonies of the fifth degree. She was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 23.

Idris Nuriddeen, 42, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to one count each of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree, and aggravated trafficking in drugs, a fourth-degree felony. A surety bond was set in the case, and he will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 22.

Serena White, 26, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count of theft, a felony of the fifth degree. She was released on a surety bond and will appear in court for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 22.

Milo Holt Jr., 19, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to one count of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. He was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. May 23.

Five people were also sentenced on Wednesday. They include the following:

Daniel Dunn, 27, of Ohio City, was sentenced to 16 months in prison on a charge of aggravated trafficking in drugs, a felony of the fourth degree. Judge Martin D. Burchfield gave Dunn credit for 93 days already served.

Kurt Strukamp, 55, of Madison, Indiana, was sentenced to 16 months in prison on each of two counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs, both felonies of the fourth degree; and 12 months in prison on a charge of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. All three sentences will run at the same time (concurrent). He was given credit for nine days already served.

Nathan Braun, 35, of Van Wert, was given 12 months in prison on a charge of importuning, a felony of the fifth degree. Judge Burchfield also gave him credit for 34 days already served. Braun must also register as a Tier 1 sex offender.

Joshua Finfrock, 33, of Cecil, was given five years of community control on a charge of trespass in a habitation, a felony of the fourth degree. He must also serve 30 days in jail, beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, May 14. In addition, Finfrock must also undergo mental health and substance abuse assessments and any treatment recommended, as well as comply with medication orders and make restitution in the amount of $1,000 to the victim.

Alexander Chorvas, 23, of Van Wert, was sentenced to three years of community control on a charge of domestic violence, a felony of the fourth degree. He must also service 90 days in jail, beginning at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 27. He was also granted work release from jail, and must undergo mental health and substance abuse assessment and any treatment recommended. He must not drink any alcohol or take any drugs without a prescription.

Also Wednesday, Dravone Wannemacher, 24, of Delphos, changed his plea to guilty to a charge of domestic violence, which was reduced from a felony of the fourth degree to a misdemeanor of the first degree. Sentencing was scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 30.

Two people also appeared for criminal hearings on Tuesday.

Kasey Schisler, 29, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to a charge of theft from a protected person, a felony of the fifth degree. He also admitted to violating his surety bond by taking illegal drugs. Judge Burchfield ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for 9 a.m. Wednesday, June 20. A $25,000 cash/commercial surety bond was also set in the case.

Larry Flory III, 33, of Van Wert, appeared in court on a bond violation. The hearing was continued until 9 a.m. Monday, May 14. He was ordered held without bond until the hearing on Monday.