23 defendants arraigned in CP Court

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Two Indiana residents were arraigned on charges stemming from their being in a semi tractor-trailer authorities say was a mobile meth lab.

Chad Bellis, 38, and Tyan Montalvo, 22, both of Portland, Ind., each pleaded not guilty to charges of illegal manufacture of drugs, a second-degree felony, and illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs, a felony of the fourth-degree.

The pair were arrested by troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol early on February 28 after a trooper found the semi they were in was parked partially on the roadway on U.S. 224, near the intersection with Lincoln Highway.

Judge Charles D. Steele ordered both held on $150,000 bonds, with $15,000 of that to be paid in cash, along with a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond, and scheduled a pretrial conference for the pair for Wednesday, March 16, at 8 a.m.

Two Van Wert residents who reportedly tried to flee the area after being indicted as part of the latest drug investigation by the Van Wert Police Department were given cash bonds by Judge Steele.

Jason Lamb, 29, and Allison Hoblet, 31, both were ordered held on $10,000 cash bonds, along with an unsecured personal surety bond. Pretrial conferences were set for March 16. Both denied they were leaving the area, but it didn’t help their case.

Lamb entered not guilty pleas to a three-count indictment charging him with trafficking in drugs, all fourth-degree felony offenses, while Hoblet pleaded not guilty to two counts of permitting drug abuse, both fifth-degree felonies.

A Delphos man with a long criminal history was ordered held on a $10,000 cash bond after he entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of trafficking in Oxycodone, a third-degree felony offense.

Chad Diltz, 39, was indicted by the grand jury after he allegedly sold Oxycodone to an undercover agent working for the West Central Crime Task Force that was conducting an investigation in Delphos.

County Prosecutor Charles F. Kennedy requested the cash bond, citing Diltz’ lengthy criminal history and the fact that he has been in prison several times, including being just recently released from prison on a drug-related charge. A pretrial conference was set for March 16.

Others arraigned include the following:

• Virginia Schrader, 21, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to two counts of trafficking in drugs. Schrader was ordered held on a $5,000 cash bond and unsecured personal surety bond after prosecutors told the judge there was some question as to where she was officially living. A pretrial conference was scheduled for March 16.
• Amber Baker, 21, of Van Wert, entered not guilty pleas to two counts of trafficking in heroin, both fifth-degree felony offenses. She was released on a personal surety bond and a pretrial hearing set for March 16.
• Alyssa Bebout, 22, of Van Wert, entered a plea of not guilty to an indictment charging her with trafficking in drugs, with a specification that she used a 1996 automobile in the commission of a felony offense. She was released on a personal surety bond and a pretrial conference scheduled for March 16.
• Megan Wannemacher, 25, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging her with trafficking in drugs, a fourth-degree felony. She was released on a personal surety bond and a pretrial conference set for 8 a.m. March 16.
• Christine Holtsberry Miller, 19, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to a charge of receiving stolen property, a fifth-degree felony. Because she was on probation when the most recent offense was allegedly committed, Miller was ordered held on a $25,000 cash bond, as well as a personal surety bond. A pretrial hearing was scheduled for March 16.
• Stacy Young, 34, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to two counts of trafficking in drugs, both felonies of the fifth degree. She was released on a personal surety bond and a pretrial conference set for March 16.
• Tasha Comment, 27, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging her with two counts of trafficking in drugs, both fourth-degree felonies. She was released on a personal surety bond ad a pretrial conference scheduled for March 16.
• Douglas G. McNeal, 52, of Delphos, entered a not guilty plea to a charge of gross sexual imposition, a fourth-degree felony. McNeal, who retained local attorney Shaun Putman as his legal counsel, was released on a personal surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at March 16.
• Nathan Dunn, 28, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to charges of trafficking in drugs, a third-degree felony, and trafficking in a counterfeit controlled substance, a fourth-degree felony offense. He was ordered held on a $10,000 cash bond, along with a personal surety bond, after prosecutors noted that Dunn has an extensive criminal history.
• Zach Baker, 24, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to three counts of trafficking in drugs, all fourth-degree felonies. He was released on a personal surety bond and a pretrial conference scheduled for March 16.
• Ryan King, 25, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to two counts of trafficking in drugs, both felonies of the third degree. He was released on a personal surety bond and a pretrial conference set for 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 22.
• Brandon Barnes, 29, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to two counts of trafficking in heroin, both fourth-degree felony offenses. He was ordered held on a $5,000 bond, with $500 of that to be paid in cash, along with a personal surety bond. A pretrial conference was scheduled for March 16.
• Jordan Black, 22, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to a multi-count indictment charging him with one count of possession of heroin, two counts of trafficking in heroin within the vicinity of a school, one count of trafficking in a counterfeit controlled substance, all fourth-degree felonies, and two fifth-degree felony counts of trafficking in heroin. Black is presently being held in the Van Wert County Correctional Facility on other drug-related charges because he violated the conditions set in connection with the original bond. Those charges are scheduled to be heard during a jury trial. Judge Steele ordered Black held on a $10,000 cash bond on the new charges, with a pretrial conference scheduled for March 16.
• Elmico Crisp, 35, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging him with possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. Assistant Prosecutor Martin Burchfield requested that Crisp be held on a cash bond, since the Ohio Adult Parole Authority has a holder on him for violating his post-release community control. Judge Steele ordered Crisp held on a $10,000 cash bond, as well as a personal surety bond. He will appear for a pretrial conference on March 16.
• Karsten Stoller, 29, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to two counts of trafficking in drugs, both fifth-degree felony offenses. He was released on a personal surety bond and a pretrial conference set for March 16.
• Joe Quevedo, 42, of Van Wert, was ordered held on a $5,000 bond, $500 of that in cash, on two counts of possession of drugs, both offenses of the fifth degree. Quevedo, who pleaded not guilty to the offenses, will appear for a pretrial conference on Wednesday, March 23.
• Shane Hertzel, 32, and Daniel King, 39, both of Quincy, both pleaded not guilty to indictments charging them with two counts of possession of drugs, both fifth-degree felonies. Both were released on personal surety bonds and pretrial conferences were scheduled for March 16.

Also Wednesday, Kelcey Frye of Rockford appeared for a hearing in which he asked to withdraw a guilty plea to a charge of robbery. Frye said he wanted to withdraw the plea, made in connection with a robbery incident on December 7, 2010, claiming he had a different understanding of his negotiated plea than that which was being implemented.

Judge Steele took the request under advisement and noted that he would issue an opinion on the motion later this week.