EATON — Preble County Common Pleas Court heard cases involving drugs, theft and identity fraud on Wednesday, June 23. Judge Stephen R. Bruns presided.
Jacob Davis, 28, of New Paris, appeared for sentencing via video teleconference with the Preble County Jail on charges of aggravated possession of drugs and illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility.
Defense attorney Kyle Lennen asked the court to allow Davis to pursue substance abuse treatment on an outpatient basis. Judge Bruns sentenced Davis to five years of community control; a reserved sentence of 36 months of incarceration could be imposed, minus 101 days of credit for time already served, if Davis fails to honor the terms of his probation.
Bruns cautioned the defendant that he had “just shy of three years hanging over [his] head.”
“I’m going to give you a shot, but you only get one bite of the apple here,” Bruns said. “So make sure you take advantage of this opportunity.”
Jason N. Bell, 43, of Eaton, was again scheduled for sentencing on charges of theft and identity fraud. Bell’s previous record includes charges of domestic violence, misuse of credit cards, burglary and nonsupport of dependents in Franklin, Miami, Warren and Montgomery Counties.
According to a sentencing memorandum filed by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Gractia Manning, Bell used stolen credit card information to purchase $900 worth of electronics, allegedly with the intent of trading the items to obtain drugs. Bell previously failed to appear for sentencing on June 15.
Defense attorney Lennen informed the court that his client had been admitted to Kettering Health “due to severe illness.” Bruns ordered the case continued until July 7.
Daniel R. Salyers, 32, of Eaton, failed to appear for sentencing on charges of burglary, improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle and theft.
According to Salyers’ attorney, the defendant is currently serving a sentence of 27 months of incarceration in Indiana; requests to have him transported to Preble County for sentencing in the local case were denied due to an administrative error.
Judge Bruns ordered the case continued until Aug. 18 to allow Salyers’ attorney time to resolve the issue.
Vincent D. Fleming, 51, of New Lebanon, was sentenced on charges of aggravated possession of drugs. Fleming entered a guilty plea to the charges and waived his right to a pre-sentencing investigation; Bruns sentenced Fleming to 62 days of incarceration in the Preble County Jail, with credit for 62 days already served, and one year of community control.
Cheyenne Skidmore, 21, of West Alexandria, was ordered to pursue substance abuse treatment in lieu of conviction on charges of possession of heroin. Skidmore’s guilty plea to those charges will be held in abeyance pending her successful completion of treatment, which Bruns described as an opportunity “to avoid all the repercussions that come from having a felony conviction.”
