Father-and-son burglary team sentenced

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A father-and-son team of burglars was sentenced in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday, with the son receiving the tougher sentence, due to his extensive criminal record.

Thomas Stocklin Jr., 54, of Delphos, and his son, Jeffery Thomas Stocklin, 30, of Lima, appeared for sentencing Wednesday on charges of burglary, both third-degree felonies, related to an incident that took place in September 2011 at a home in the 300 block of Canal Street in Delphos.

According to Delphos Police, the two men and a woman removed two refrigerators from an enclosed front porch of the residence and sold them for scrap metal at a Delphos scrapyard.

The elder Stocklin was given three years of community control, but must also serve up to six months at the Western Ohio Regional Treatment and Habilitation (WORTH) Center in Lima, while Jeffery Stocklin was sentenced to nine months in prison for his part in the burglary.

Judge Charles D. Steele cited the younger Stocklin’s extensive criminal record, which stretches back to 1997 when the defendant was 16 years old and includes some kind of criminal offense nearly every year since then.

As part of their sentences, the pair was also ordered to make restitution to the victim in the case, along with other costs related to their court cases.

Also Wednesday, Van Wert resident Dominic Eddins, 32, was sentenced to two 12-month prison terms on felony counts of attempted burglary.

According to Van Wert police, Eddins allegedly broke into two separate local residences in October 2011.

Judge Steele, who also gave Eddins credit for 88 days already served while awaiting sentencing, told the defendant he would recommend he be placed in the Intensive Prison Program, a substance abuse program similar to the WORTH Center, while he is in prison.

A Delphos man who allegedly assaulted a police officer in that city entered a guilty plea to a related charge. Larry R. Brown, 63, pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting a police officer, a fourth-degree felony, for assaulting Sergeant Ryan Kimmet of the Delphos Police Department in September 2011.

Judge Steele ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for 9 a.m. Wednesday, March 7.

Several people were also arraigned on Wednesday in Common Pleas Court.

Joshua Schmidt, 28, who is presently served a prison term for an unrelated charge, pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to register as a sex offender. This is the second time Schmidt has been charged with failing to register.

Because Schmidt will be released from prison soon, Judge Steele set a $10,000 cash bond, along with an unsecured personal surety bond, in the case. A pretrial conference was set for 8 a.m. Wednesday, February 1.

Andrew D. Snyder of Rockford entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment on a charge of theft, a fifth-degree felony offense.

Snyder was released on a personal surety bond, but was ordered not to enter any Walmart store while out on bond. A pretrial conference was scheduled for 8 a.m. Wednesday, February 8.

Damien J. Smith also pleaded not guilty to one count of theft, a fifth-degree felony, and was released on a personal surety bond, with orders not to enter a Walmart store.

Steven R. Putt, 43, of Decatur, Ind., pleaded not guilty to a charge of non-support of dependents during his arraignment Wednesday in Common Pleas Court.

Putt was released on an unsecured personal surety bond and a pretrial conference set for 8 a.m. February 1.

Haley N. Jones, 18, of Buckland, entered a plea of guilty to a charge of breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony. Jones, who is also facing similar charges in Allen and Auglaize counties, was apparently involved with others in a break-in at a Venedocia business on July 6, 2011.

Judge Steele ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for 9 a.m. February 8.

Cory T. Salisbury, 30, of Rockford, was placed on three years of community control on a first-degree misdemeanor theft charge.

Salisbury, who was arrested as a result of a Van Wert police investigation into the theft of beer and other items from the Century Bar in November 2011, was also placed on 30 days of electronically monitored house arrest.

Benjamin Williams Jr., 33, of Convoy, was given three years of community control on a charge of trafficking in marijuana, a felony of the fifth degree.

Williams was arrested after an investigation conducted by the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Department last fall.

Judge Steele ordered Williams to spend 30 days in jail.

Shannon Hartman of Van Wert appeared on a bond violation related to her being a passenger in a vehicle that was involved in the sale of drugs. She was also later found at the Van Wert County Department of Job and Family Services with some of the marked money used in the drug buy.

Judge Steele ordered her held on a cash bond, with a pretrial conference scheduled for 8 a.m. February 1.

Michelle S. Densel of Van Wert was sentenced to a year of community control on a first-degree misdemeanor theft charge. She was ordered to pay restitution to the victim in the case as part of her sentence.

Jerry A. Dominique, 43, of Van Wert, denied he had violated his community control sanctions and a hearing will be scheduled in the case at a later date.