Piqua man gets 25-30 1/2 years in prison

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A Piqua man will spend between 25 and 30½ years in prison after being convicted of charges related to an armed robbery at the Brookside Carryout earlier this year.

A jury found Anthony Hoskinson, 48, guilty of two counts of aggravated robbery, each a felony of the first degree, following a trial in August. One count stemmed from the robbery of the Brookside Carryout, while the second robbery count was Hoskinson’s attempt to steal Police Officer Austin McIntosh’s firearm. The Piqua man was also found guilty of one count of attempted escape, a felony of the third degree.

During Hoskinson’s sentencing on Wednesday, Judge Martin Burchfield ruled that the second count of aggravated burglary and the attempted escape charge be merged and then sentenced the Piqua man on the two robbery charges only.

Judge Burchfield sentenced Hoskinson to 8-12 years on the first robbery charge, with credit for 593 days already served, and 11-16½ years on the second robbery count. He was also given an additional five years in prison for being a violent repeat offender, and a year additional for violating his post-release control. Hoskinson was released from prison just prior to the armed robbery. All four sentences are to run consecutively to one another.

Also sentenced this past week was Brandon Clark, 25, of Van Wert, who was given two years of community control, including 45 days in jail, with credit for one day served, on a charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor of the first degree. The jail sentence is to run concurrently with a sentence previously handed down in Van Wert Municipal Court. He must also perform 50 hours of community service and was ordered to pay restitution totaling $454.12 to Regina Matthews.

Also this week, Dillon Nihiser, 25, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count of breaking and entering and three counts of theft, all felonies of the fifth degree. Nihiser was released on an unsecured personal surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 9 a.m. Wednesday, October 20.

Three other people appeared for bond-related hearings.

Kasey Schisler, 33, of Van Wert, had his bond modified to electronically monitored house arrest, with evenings to be spent at Haven of Hope.

Jacob Weir, 24, of Lima, admitted to violating his bond when he failed to appear for sentencing. He will be released on a surety bond after he completes the presentence investigation interview. Sentencing was rescheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, November 2.

Cory Spencer, 38, of Van Wert, admitted violating his surety bond by failing a drug test. He was re-released on a surety bond, and a pretrial conference scheduled for 8 a.m. October 20.