6 people appear for hearings in CP Court

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Six people appeared for criminal hearings Wednesday in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

Two of those entered changes of pleas to criminal charges.

Brian Spranger, 30, of Delphos, changed his plea to guilty to an amended charge of aggravated assault, a felony of the fourth degree (reduced from felonious assault, a second-degree felony). Judge Martin D. Burchfield ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for 9 a.m. Wednesday, August 2.

David Scott, 32, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to a charge of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree.

He then requested, and was granted, treatment in lieu of conviction and his case was stayed pending successful completion of a substance abuse treatment program.

One person was sentenced on Wednesday.

Austin Edwards, 34, of Van Wert, was sentenced to a year of community control, including 52 hours of community service, on a charge of possession of criminal tools, a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Judge Burchfield also ordered that a firearm and ammunition belonging to Edwards be forfeited to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Two people also appeared on probation violation charges.

Kitti Johnson, 30, of Convoy, admitted to violating her probation by failing to follow the rules of the Western Ohio Regional Treatment and Habilitation (WORTH) Center in Lima and being terminated from the substance abuse treatment program there.

Judge Burchfield sentenced her to 75 days in jail.

Ryan Schaadt, 32, of Van Wert, admitted to violating his probation by being in possession of cocaine. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

Adam Partin, 24, of Delphos, entered a not guilty plea to one count each of possession of cocaine and aggravated possession of drugs, both felonies of the fifth degree, during an arraignment hearing held Wednesday.

Judge Burchfield set a $10,000 cash/commercial surety bond in the case and Partin will appear for a pretrial conference at 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 5.