8 appear for VW Common Pleas hearings

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Eight people appeared in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday for a variety of reasons. Four people entered changes of plea, there was one arraignment, one sentencing, one probation violation and a bond violation heard by Judge Charles D. Steele.

Ethan Mezuk, 24, of Convoy, admitted violating his probation by having testing positive for drugs several times. He was given nine months in prison, with credit for 58 days already served.

A Van Wert man was also sentenced on a drug-related charge. Sonny Metzger, 40, was given three years of community control and had his driver’s license suspended for six months on a charge of possession of heroin, a felony of the fifth degree.

Four people also changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty on Tuesday.

David Boff Jr., 22, of Van Wert, pleaded guilty to a charge of failure to register as a sex offender, a felony of the fourth degree. A presentence investigation was ordered and Boff will appear for sentencing at 9 a.m. Wednesday, February 2, 2015.

Jordan Perl, 22, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to a charge of attempted grand theft, a fourth-degree felony (reduced from a felony of the third degree). A presentence investigation will be conducted and sentencing was scheduled for 9 a.m. February 2.

Jered Couch, 27, of Van Wert, pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted grand theft, a felony of the fourth degree, downgraded from a third-degree felony, and a second fourth-degree felony count of theft as dismissed in exchange for his guilty plea. Couch then requested, and was granted, treatment in lieu of conviction.

Heather Ratliff, 37, of Convoy, changed her plea to guilty to one count of attempted forgery, a first-degree misdemeanor, which was reduced from forgery, a fifth-degree felony, in exchange for her guilty plea. A presentence investigation was ordered and Ratliff will appear for sentencing at a later date.

Amber Smith, 33, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to trafficking in heroin, a fifth-degree felony, during an arraignment hearing held Tuesday. She was released on a personal surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 28.

Also Tuesday, Lee Hummer, 27, of Delphos, admitted to violating his bond by failing to report to probation for several weeks. Judge Steele revoked his surety bond and set a $1,000 cash bond in its place.