City man pleads to sex-related charges

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A local man has pleaded guilty to charges related to sexual relationships he had with two minor girls.

Tristan R. Wehner, 19, of 431 Burt St., pleaded guilty to charges included in a prosecutor’s bill of information during a hearing Wednesday in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

Those charges include one count each of sexual battery, and tampering with evidence, and two counts of extortion, all felonies of the third degree.

Charges against Wehner stem from an investigation by the Van Wert Police Department into a sexual misconduct complaint filed against Wehner. The investigation found that Wehner had had a sexual relationship with a minor from August 1 through December 1, 2019, while allegedly in a position of authority, employed by or serving in a school where the girl was enrolled, and had then used extortion to force the girl to continue the relationship. 

Also as part of the investigation, police had applied for a search warrant for Wehner’s cell phone. After he was notified of the search in early December 2019, Wehner then tried to delete evidence from the phone prior to turning it over to police. When police examined the phone, they found evidence of a second victim that Wehner had also extorted to continue a sexual relationship by use of threats.

Judge Martin D. Burchfield released Wehner on an unsecured personal surety bond, under electronically monitored house arrest. A presentence investigation was also ordered and sentencing scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday, February 18.

Other hearings held in Common Pleas Court this week include the following:

Curtis Coleman, 49, of Van Wert, was sentenced to 24 months in prison, with credit for three days already served, on a charge of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the third degree. He was also ordered to forfeit $492 used in the crime to the VWPD.

Two people changed their pleas to a variety of charges.

Daniel Craig, 38, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to one count of domestic violence, a felony of the fourth degree, and assault, a misdemeanor of the first degree. A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing was set for 9 a.m. Wednesday, February 19.

Korbin Taylor, 21, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to a charge of possession of heroin, a felony of the fifth degree, and also entered a guilty plea to a prosecutor’s bill of information to a charge of aggravated assault, a fourth-degree felony. A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing for 9 a.m. February 19. He was also released on a surety bond, with the condition he have no contact with the alleged victims in the cases.

Others in court are as follows:

Jared Shaffer, 20, of Van Wert, admitted to violating his probation by failing to complete his drug treatment. He was sentenced to 120 days in jail, with credit for 29 days already served, and was terminated unsuccessfully from community control.

Justin Reilly, 37, of Van Wert, admitted to violating his bond by failing to appear at a court hearing. A new $10,000 cash bond was set in the case and a pretrial conference set.