9 more arraigned in Common Pleas Court

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Nine more people were arraigned on grand jury indictments, two were sentenced and another appeared for a probation violation during hearings held Wednesday in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

A Van Wert man pleaded not guilty to felony sex charges during his arraignment in Common Pleas Court on Wednesday.

Lewis Buckner Sr., 57, entered pleas to two counts of rape, both first-degree felonies, and two counts of gross sexual imposition, each a felony of the third degree.

Buckner was released on a personal surety bond, although Judge Charles D. Steele ordered that he have no contact with the alleged victim in the case. A pretrial conference was scheduled for 8 a.m. Wednesday, July 23.

Two men arrested in June in connection with a mobile methamphetamine lab were also arraigned on Wednesday.

Austin Coyne, 21, of Convoy, and Jack Eddy, 28, of Payne, both entered not guilty pleas to indictments charging each with illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacturing of drugs. The charges were felonies of the third degree. The men were arrested June 30 by deputies from the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office in a vehicle deputies allege was being used as a mobile meth lab.

Both men were released on personal surety bonds, while Coyne will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. July 23, and Eddy’s pretrial conference was set for 8 a.m. Wednesday, July 30.

Others arraigned on Wednesday include the following:

Melissa Frasl, 33, of Delphos, entered a not guilty plea to a charge of domestic violence, a felony of the fourth degree. She was released on a personal surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. July 30.

Richard Stegaman, 47, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to a charge of illegal use of supplemental nutrition or WIC program benefits, a felony of the fifth degree. He was released on a surety bond and a pretrial conference scheduled for 8 a.m. July 23.

Zane Germann, 24, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. He was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. July 30.

Tiffany Riley, 24, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to a fifth-degree felony theft charge. She was released on a personal surety bond and a pretrial conference set for 8 a.m. July 23.

Richard Schneider, 28, of Fort Jennings, entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony offense. He was released on a surety bond and a pretrial conference scheduled for 8 a.m. July 23.

Ashley Lewis, 34, of Convoy, pleaded not guilty to a charge of gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony. He was released on a surety bond, with the added condition of no contact with the alleged victim, and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. July 23.

Also Wednesday, Jeffrey Wills, 33, of Lima, admitted to violating the terms of his probation by not making child support payments and being arrested for domestic violence in Allen County. He was re-sentenced to three years of community control, with an additional stipulation that he spend up to six months in the Western Ohio Regional Treatment and Habilitation (WORTH) Center in Lima.

Two people were also sentenced on Wednesday.

Joshua Sargent, 32, of Van Wert, was given three years of community control, including up to six months in the WORTH Center on a felony charge of domestic violence. He must also have no contact with the victim in the case or the victim’s family.

Andrew Taylor, 28, of Van Wert, was given two years of community control on a charge of attempted possession of drugs, a misdemeanor of the first degree.