Delphos man gets prison for trafficking

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Three people were arraigned, three others submitted changes of plea and three were sentenced during hearings held Wednesday in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

Among those sentenced was Steven Diltz, 27, of Delphos, who was sentenced to 11 months in prison on a charge of trafficking in drugs, a fifth-degree felony. Because of his extensive criminal record, Judge Charles D. Steele determined he was not amenable to community control, but did grant him 67 days credit for time already spent in jail. His sentence is also to run concurrently with a similar sentence handed down in Putnam County.

Also sentenced was Brenda Schwartz, 26, of Decatur, Ind., who received three years of community control on three counts of theft from an elderly person, all felonies of the fifth degree. As part of her sentence, Schwartz, who begged the judge to allow her to stay with her children, will serve 60 days on electronically monitored house arrest and perform up to 200 hours of community service. She must also have no contact with the victim in the case, and was ordered to pay $1,517.38 in restitution by January 1, 2013.

Ruth A. Napier, 20, of Van Wert, was given two years of community control on a charge of trespass in a habitation, a fourth-degree felony. She must also undergo a substance abuse assessment and undergo any treatment recommended, as well as a psychiatric treatment program.

Arraigned were the following:

Rickey E. Harter, 55, of Spencerville, pleaded not guilty to a charge of theft from an elderly person, a fifth-degree felony. A bond posted in Van Wert Municipal Court was transferred to Common Pleas Court and a pretrial conference set for Wednesday, June 27, at 8 a.m.

Nathan Huey Dingle, 30, of Chicago, Ill., entered a not guilty plea to a charge of receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony offense. A Municipal Court bond was also transferred in his case and a pretrial set for 8 a.m. June 27.

Hamilton Martinez, 51, of Phillipsburg, pleaded not guilty to a charge of theft from an elderly person, a fourth degree felony, as well as a fifth-degree theft count. He was released on a personal surety bond and a pretrial conference scheduled for 8 a.m. June 27.

Also Wednesday, three people changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty.

Emily Lacy, 20, of Van Wert, pleaded guilty to one count each of trafficking in drugs (morphine), a fourth-degree felony, and trafficking in drugs (marijuana), a felony of the fifth degree. A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing scheduled for Wednesday, July 25. In exchange for her guilty plea, a third drug trafficking count was dismissed by the county prosecutor’s office.

Michael Speakman, 20, of Van Wert, pleaded guilty to a fifth-degree felony theft count. A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing set for 8 a.m. July 25. His bond was continued, with the further stipulation that he have no contact with the alleged victim in the case.

Tyler A. Dirham, 20, of Van Wert, entered a guilty plea to one count of possession of marijuana, a fifth-degree felony. He then requested, and was granted, treatment in lieu of conviction and will be under the supervision of the Adult Probation Department for a year while he undergoes treatment.