Area man gets prison term on sex counts

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A Spencerville man was sentenced to a total of five years in prison on sex charges during a hearing held Wednesday in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

Fredrick Helman, 34, was sentenced to five years on each of three counts of importuning, each a felony of the second degree. Judge Charles D. Steele ordered that the three sentences be served concurrently, and also gave Helman credit for 79 days already served while awaiting final disposition of his case.

Helman was originally charged with five counts of importuning, all second-degree felonies, as well as one count each of attempted rape, also a second-degree felony, and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a felony of the fifth degree.

Two of the importuning counts, as well as the attempted rape and disseminating material counts were dropped in exchange for Helman’s guilty pleas on the remaining importuning counts.

In addition to the prison term, Helman will also have five years of post-release control when he is released from prison, and was classified as a Tier 1 sex offender, which means he must report to the sheriff’s department where he resides and works for 15 years.

Also sentenced Wednesday was Darren Riggs, 42, of Van Wert, who received three years of community control on a charge of attempted corruption of another with drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. He was also given 30 days in jail, to be served immediately, and a six-month driver’s license suspension, and must have no contact with the victim in the case.

In other hearings held Wednesday, a Van Wert man changed his plea from not guilty to guilty to a charge of possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. Zachariah Young, 26, then requested, and was granted, treatment in lieu of conviction, and the case was stayed until his completion of a substance abuse treatment program.

Two people were also arraigned on Wednesday, as follows:

• Michael Supko, 22, of Lemoyne, Pa., entered a plea of guilty to a prosecutor’s bill of information charging him with possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, August 28. No bond was set as Supko was being held on a request from Pennsylvania authorities, where he is currently on probation.
• Roger Risner, 49, of Rensselaer, Ind., also pleaded guilty on a prosecutor’s bill of information to one count of resisting arrest, a first-degree misdemeanor. A charge of assault on a peace officer was dismissed in exchange for his plea to the resisting arrest count. A presentence investigation was ordered and Risner will appear for sentencing at 9 a.m. Wednesday, September 25.

Two people also appeared on charges they either violated probation or a treatment in lieu of conviction program.

Drew Kenny, 20, of Van Wert, was found to have violated his treatment in lieu of conviction program by testing positive for methamphetamines, marijuana and opiates. A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing set for 9 a.m. Wednesday, October 2.

Michael Reichert, 30, of Van Wert, admitted to violating his probation by failing to report to probation as required. He was resentenced to three years of community control, with the added condition that he serve 120 days on either electronically monitored house arrest, if he qualifies, or in jail.