County man arraigned on sex charges

VW independent staff

A county man charged with felony sex crimes was one of five defendants arraigned in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court this week. Judge Martin D. Burchfield presided over the hearings, along with four other separate hearings.

During his arraignment, Seth Marbaugh, 34, of Ohio City, entered a not guilty plea to four counts of rape, all first degree felonies; three counts of sexual battery, third degree felonies, and three counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, third degree felonies. He was released on a surety bond and was ordered to have no contact with the victim. A pre-trial conference was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. September 3.

According to a secret indictment filed with the Van Wert County Clerk of Court’s Office, the alleged crimes occurred between May of 2023 and October of 2024. The alleged victim was 12 and 13 at the time.

Corbin Cornelius, 24, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to receiving stolen property, a fourth degree felony, and misdemeanor theft, a first degree misdemeanor. He was released on a surety bond and a pre-trial conference was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. September 3.

Lowery Irby, 37, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to strangulation, a third degree felony, and domestic violence, a felony of the third degree. Bond was set at $50,000 cash or surety and a pre-trial conference was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, August 27.

Kyle Coble, 40, of Willshire, entered a not guilty plea to strangulation, a fourth degree felony, and domestic violence, a first degree misdemeanor. He was released on a surety bond and was ordered to have no contact with victim. A pre-trial conference was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. September 3.

Anthony Oliver, 30, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to strangulation, a fourth degree felony, and domestic violence, a third degree felony. Judge Burchfield set bond at $50,000 cash or surety and scheduled a pre-trial conference for 8 a.m. Wednesday, August 27.

Plea changes

James Aldrich, 56, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse on the grounds of a specified governmental facility, a third degree felony. He was then sentenced to 18 months prison to run concurrently with his Auglaize County sentence. He was also ordered to pay court costs.

Amber Busch, 41, of Lima, changed her plea to guilty of non-support of dependents, a fifth degree felony. Judge Burchfield ordered a pre-sentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for 9:30 a.m. September 10.

Judicial release

Brittney Barajas, 29, of Convoy, appeared on her motion for judicial release from prison. Following the hearing, her motion was granted and Barajas was released from prison and placed on three years of community control, up to six months at the WORTH Center, 30 days jail at later date, was ordered to possess no alcohol or drugs without prescriptions and undergo substance abuse assessment and treatment. She’ll be held in the county jail until placement at the WORTH Center, and she was ordered to pay costs.