Man gets higher bond, phone call ban

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A Delphos businessman charged with felony witness intimidation received a higher cash bond and a warning from Van Wert County Common Pleas Judge Charles D. Steele on Monday morning.

Robert J. Fishbein, 48, of Lima, appeared in court Monday on a charge that he violated the terms of his bond by repeatedly trying to contact the alleged victim in his intimidation case.

Fishbein, who was represented by Lima attorney William Kluge, was indicted by the October session of the Van Wert County Grand Jury on a charge of intimidation of a witness, a third-degree felony offense. During his arraignment on the charge, Fishbein, who reportedly operates I&K Distributors in Delphos, was ordered released on a $150,000 bond, with 10 percent of that amount ($15,000) to be paid in cash, but with the added condition that he have no contact with the alleged victim in the case.

Fishbein returned to court on Monday morning after it was learned he had attempted to contact the victim more than 18 times by cell phone between October 20 and 24.

Judge Steele then ordered a $200,000 cash bond set in the case, without a 10 percent stipulation, and warned Fishbein that he could lose the entire $200,000 if he makes any further attempts to contact the alleged victim.

“If you violate this one (bond), I will order you held without bond,” Judge Steele told Fishbein, but noted that the $15,000 already paid on the old bond could be applied to the new bond.

In addition to the higher bond, the judge went so far as to prohibit the Lima man from making phone calls of any type, with Fishbein even having to have another person dial business calls and then be present to hear what is said during those calls.

A pretrial conference was originally scheduled for 8 a.m. Wednesday, November 9, in the case.