Court holds hearings for four people

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Two city residents appeared in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court on drug related charges this past week, while two others were denied bond.

Danal Parsons, 52, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to aggravated trafficking in drugs and aggravated possession of drugs, both third degree felonies. Judge Martin Burchfield ordered a pre-sentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for 9 a.m. August 9. Parsons was freed on a surety bond pending the sentencing hearing.

Jessica Freitag, 33, of Van Wert, admitted violating her bond and her treatment in lieu of conviction program by not providing an address to probation and failing to report to probation and failing to engage in treatment with Westwood. She was released on a surety bond pending sentencing, which was scheduled for 9 a.m. August 10.

Johnathan Miller, 19, and Kaiden Gilbert, 19, both of Van Wert, appeared for a hearing on a prosecutor’s motion to have them held without bond on as a danger to the community on two counts of kidnapping, both first degree felonies; one count of aggravated burglary, also a first degree felony; two counts of felonious assault, both second degree felonies, and theft, a fifth degree felony. Both men were ordered held without bond.

Miller waived the hearing and his right to a speedy trial, and a telephone pre-trial conference was scheduled for 2 p.m. August 4. Gilbert’s telephone pre-trial conference was scheduled for 8 a.m. August 3.