Robbery suspect, accomplice enter pleas

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A man accused of robbing Klosterman’s Pizza, and a woman accused of being his accomplice, were both among those arraigned Wednesday in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

Kyle Caldwell, 33, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to a charge of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, and was ordered held on a $100,000 cash bond. Caldwell was arrested Van Wert police shortly after a man with a bandanna on the lower part of his face came into Klosterman’s Pizza on October 24, pointed a gun at an employee of the business and demanded money from the cash register.

According to police, when the cash register drawer was opened, Caldwell grabbed money from it and ran from the store.

Police were able to identify Caldwell as a suspect in the case from evidence found during their investigation of the robbery and the Van Wert man was taken into custody without incident shortly afterwards. The Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Van Wert County Adult Probation Department assisted in the case.

A pretrial conference was scheduled for Caldwell at 8 a.m. Wednesday, November 14.

Chelsea Caldwell, 23, also of Van Wert, also appeared in Common Pleas Court on a charge of complicity in aggravated robbery, which is also a felony of the first degree. She was released on a personal surety bond and a pretrial conference was set for 8 a.m. Wednesday, November 21.

Others arraigned on Wednesday include the following:

• Ashley Gentry, 30, of Van Wert, entered not guilty pleas to two counts of trafficking in heroin, one a felony of the fourth degree and the other a fifth-degree felony, and one count of possession of heroin, a fifth-degree felony offense. The charges include a specification that she used a 1994 Chevrolet Blazer SUV in commission of the offenses, and also had $510 in cash that was related to the charges. She was released on a personal surety bond and a pretrial conference scheduled for 9 a.m. November 21.
• Audrey Houser, 33, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to two counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs, one of those a third-degree felony and the other a felony of the fourth degree, and one count of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. She was released on a surety bond and a pretrial conference set for 8 a.m. November 14.
• Nicole Raines, 32, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to two counts of trafficking in drugs, both felonies of the fourth degree. She was released on a surety bond and a pretrial conference scheduled for 8 a.m. November 21.
• Vicki Young, 58, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count each of aggravated trafficking in drugs, a felony of the second degree; trafficking in heroin, a fourth-degree felony; and possession of heroin, a felony of the fifth degree. She was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. November 21.
• Mack Johnson Jr., 18, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to a charge of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. He was released on a surety bond and a pretrial conference scheduled for 8 a.m. November 21.
• Dennis Vickery, 61, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to two counts of trafficking in marijuana, both felonies of the fifth degree. He was released on a surety bond and a pretrial conference set for 8 a.m. November 21.
• Joel Crawford, 24, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to a charge of possession of heroin, a felony of the fifth degree. He was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. November 21.
• Matthew Southerland, 30, of Paulding, pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony offense. He was released on a personal surety bond and a pretrial conference was scheduled for 8 a.m. November 14.
• Ronald Cobb, 33, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to a charge of corrupting another with drugs, a felony of the third degree. He was released on a surety bond, with the added condition that he have no contact with the alleged victim, and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. November 14.
• Christopher Day, 39, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count each of possession of cocaine and aggravated possession of drugs, both fifth-degree felonies. He was released on a surety bond and a pretrial conference was scheduled for 8 a.m. November 21.
• Tyler Torrey, 20, of Convoy, entered not guilty pleas to two counts of trafficking in drugs (F-5, F-4) and one count of trafficking in marijuana, a fourth-degree felony, with the added specification that he used a 1998 Honda Civic in the commission of the crimes. He was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. November 14.
• Scott Spry, 35, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count each of trafficking in drugs and aggravated trafficking in drugs, both third-degree felony offenses, and one count of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. He was released on a surety bond and a pretrial conference scheduled for 8 a.m. November 14.
• Zachary Baker, 25, of Van Wert, entered not guilty pleas to two counts of possession of drugs, each a felony of the fifth degree. He was released on a surety bond and a pretrial conference set for 8 a.m. November 21.
• Bradley Beining, 34, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to a charge of possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. He was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. November 21.
• Desma Chesbro, 20, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to a charge of corrupting another with drugs, a fourth-degree felony offense. She was released on a surety bond, with the added condition that she have no unsupervised contact with the alleged victim, her brother, and a pretrial conference was scheduled for 8 a.m. November 14.
• Ashley Burk, 24, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to a charge of possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. She was released on a surety bond and a pretrial conference was set for 8 a.m. November 14.
• James Sylvia, 46, of Van Wert, entered not guilty pleas to two counts of domestic violence, both fourth-degree felonies. He was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. November 14.

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

Cody Bigham, 28, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to a charge of aggravated trafficking in drugs, a felony of the third degree, and an amended charge of aggravated trafficking in drugs, also a third-degree felony. A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, December 19.

Stefan Dirham, 20, of Van Wert, entered a guilty plea to a charge of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. He then requested, and was granted, treatment in lieu of conviction. He was placed under the supervision of the Adult Probation Department until his treatment is completed.

Lester Sulfridge III, 25, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to an amended charge of abusing harmful intoxicants, a misdemeanor of the first degree. A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing scheduled for 9 a.m. November 21.

Three people were also sentenced on Wednesday in Common Pleas Court.

Michael Reichert, 29, of Van Wert, was given three years of community control on a charge of attempted theft, a fourth-degree felony offense. As part of his community control program, Reichert must serve six months in jail, although work release was granted, and must pay restitution of $200. He will report to jail on November 9.

Jason Pescosolido, 27, of Van Wert, was given three years of community control on a charge of violation of a civil protection order, a fifth-degree felony. Pescosolido, a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, is also to undergo treatment at a Veterans Administration center in West Virginia.

Jeffrey Craft, 28, of Van Wert, also received three years of community control on a charge of nonsupport of dependents. As part of that sentence, he was placed on 30 days of electronically monitored house arrest. He was must also maintain employment and child support payments.

Kristina Diltz, 28, of Van Wert, was also in court on a charge of probation violation. She admitted not completing her community control requirement and was placed on a new three-year term of community control under the same conditions as before.

Ronald McBride, 42, of Bryan, waived his right to a speedy trial during a hearing also held Wednesday in Common Pleas Court. A pretrial conference will be scheduled in the case in approximately three weeks.