SIDNEY – A Sidney man will spend at least seven years in prison in a case centered on counterfeit checks.
Jamie A. Elliott, 39, was sentenced Feb. 26 to seven to 10.5 years at the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. He pleaded guilty on Jan. 4 to engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a second degree felony. As part of his plea deal, charges of tampering with evidence, a third degree felony, and possessing criminal tools, a fifth degree felony, were dropped.
Elliott reportedly was involved in an enterprise that engaged in producing and disseminating counterfeit checks from August 2019 through August 2020.
He was ordered to pay $6,062.05 in restitution to Sidney Food Mart and $479 in court costs.
Elliott was granted credit for 23 days served in jail. After his release from prison, he will serve three years of probation.
In other actions:
• Michael D. Ceyler, Sr., 58, of Sidney, was sentenced to 24 months in prison on a failure to comply charge, a third degree felony. He pleaded guilty on Jan. 6.
According to the Sidney Police Department, Ceyler was driving at a high rate of speed in a maroon Chevrolet SUV just before 10 p.m. Oct. 13. When police officer Jim Jennings attempted to pull over the vehicle, Ceyler led a pursuit that ended with the SUV striking a residence at 324 Washington St.
In addition to the prison sentence, Ceyler was ordered to pay $3,588 in restitution to Robert Shoe and $454 in court costs. His driver’s license also was suspended for five years.
Ceyler was granted credit for 109 days served in jail. After his release from prison, Ceyler will serve up to three years of probation.
• Ethan Lewis, 19, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for a probation violation stemming from a charge of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth degree felony.
• Brandon Perry, 26, of Piqua, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for a probation violation stemming from a charge of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth degree felony.
• Dakoda Branscomb, 23, was sentenced to five years of community control on an amended charge of counterfeiting, a fourth degree felony. Branscomb agreed to a plea deal on Dec. 23, pleading down from a charge of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a second degree felony.
Branscomb also must be accepted into and successfully complete treatment at the Western Ohio Regional Treatment and Habilitation Center or another community based correctional facility, must successfully complete aftercare substance abuse treatment at Shelby House, STAR House or a similar program, must successfully complete mental health counseling, must take his medications as prescribed, must pay $448.79 in restitution to Greenville Federal and must pay $415.92 in court costs.
• Mark D. Harris, 58, of Sidney, was ordered to continue his community control sanctions and must successfully complete treatment at the Western Ohio Regional Treatment and Habilitation Center or another community based correctional facility following a probation violation. Harris is serving five years of community control stemming from an August 2020 guilty plea to a charge of trafficking in drugs, a fourth degree felony.
• Jesse M. Cheadle, 30, of Greenville, was sentenced to five years of community control on a charge of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth degree felony. He also must be accepted into and successfully complete treatment at the Western Ohio Regional Treatment and Habilitation Center.
• Justin Torez Brown, 27, of Cincinnati, was sentenced to up to five years of community control on a charge of attempted trafficking in drugs, a first degree misdemeanor. He also must serve 30 days in the Shelby County Jail on the bracelet program, must successfully complete drug and alcohol counseling and must maintain employment.
