Sidney man’s alcohol addiction leads to 2.5-year prison sentence

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SIDNEY — After five DUI convictions, as well as multiple alcohol-induced arson, assault, domestic violence, and disorderly conduct incidents spanning roughly three decades, the consequences of a Sidney man’s alcohol addiction has now escalated from multiple jail and mandatory treatment program stints into nearly a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

Wayne Harold King, 59, of Sidney, was sentenced to 30 months in prison, up to two years of probation, and all prosecution costs, for one count of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs of abuse, a fourth-degree felony, which resulted in his sixth DUI conviction in the last 20 years. Additionally, the court ordered his vehicle, a 2003 Pontiac, be forfeited to the city of Sidney for use by the police department or to be sold, at which time, a notice advertising a public auction sale to the highest bidder will be placed. Initially, King had been charged on two counts of the same charge.

On or about March 11, 2021, King allegedly engaged in driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

King had been convicted of DUIs five times before (June 23, 2014; Sept. 4, 2013; June 6, 2012; Dec. 27, 2002; and Aug. 2, 2001).

In addition to his DUI charges, King previously had multiple disorderly conduct indictments in 2003 (pleaded guilty, fined, and put on probation), 2004 (dismissed by prosecutor), 2005 (dismissed by prosecutor), 2013 (30 days in jail and fined), 2014 (60 days in jail for two counts of which 15 days was allowed to be served concurrently and fined), and 2015 (30 days in jail and fined).

In 1999, King was convicted of his first DUI.

Between 2002 and 2005, King had four years of indictments in a row for alcohol-related crimes. He had three strikes with domestic violence and one additional conviction for arson.

The first domestic violence charge was in 2002, less than a year after his first DUI on Aug. 2, 2001. At the end of January, a temporary protection order was issued and the court mandated King “shall not consume, use or possess illegal drugs or beverages containing alcohol.” He was sentenced to 180 days in jail (of which 90 days suspended), with a requirement that he complete a long-term in-patient program. It did not help. His second DUI indictment arrived on Dec. 27 that year, for which he was sentenced to 30 days in jail and a $750 fine.

By June 2003, he was again indicted on domestic violence charges and subsequently convicted after a “no contest” plea. Once again, he was sentenced to 180 days in jail, though after 30 days he could again “seek treatment for drug & alcohol abuse.”

An aggravated arson charge at the end of December 2004 occurred the next year. Bail was set at $20,000 and carried with it the direction: “defendant not to possess or consume any alcohol.” He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of arson, a third-degree felony, and was sentenced to 30 days in jail before completing treatment at the W.O.R.T.H. Center, followed by three years of probation.

By 2005, King was still engaged in domestic violence abuse and given a “no contact” order and the direction that King was “not to consume any alcohol.” King was determined to be “medically unable to appear,” and the case ended up being dismissed after the “prosecution failed to appear.”

An assault conviction occurred in 2012 for which he was sentenced to 20 days in jail, fined, and put on up to two years of probation, and in June 6, 2012, he had his third DUI conviction. By September 2013, King received his fourth DUI conviction, followed by his fifth on June 23, 2014.

Kenneth Wilkinson Jr., 34, of Bellefontaine, was sentenced to 17 months in prison, a discretionary probation of up to two years, and all costs of prosecution, for possession of drugs (Fentanyl), a fourth-degree felony. Two additional charges, a charge of possession of drugs (crack cocaine), a fifth-degree felony, and tampering with evidence (hiding the drugs on his person), a third-degree felony, were dismissed with a change of plea by the defendant on Sept. 20, 2021 to guilty. The alleged activities leading to indictments occurred on or about July 7, 2021.

Heather Meeks, 30, of Sidney, was sentenced to one year in prison, up to two years of probation after release, and all costs of prosecution, for endangering children (an 11-year-old), a fourth-degree felony. With a change of plea to guilty on Sept. 15, 2021, two additional fourth-degree felony charges for endangering children (ages eight and six) were dismissed. On or about May 13, 2021, Meeks allegedly abused three minor children: an 11-year-old, an 8-year-old, and a 6-year-old. Meek was previously convicted of child endangering on Feb. 18, 2020 and was sentenced to one year of probation and fined $200 plus all costs of prosecution. In this previous incident, Meeks was accused of striking her 11-year-old son multiple times on his head, neck, and back with a boot as corporal punishment, leaving a bruising and redness, on or about Nov. 12, 2019.

Misty Lynn Moorman, 31, of Sidney, was sentenced to county jail for one month (30 days) on the Bracelet Program, five years of probation, a $300 fine, and mandatory completion of drug and alcohol counseling for the charge of attempted failure to comply with order or signal of a police officer, a fourth-degree felony. This was an amended charge as part of a guilty plea which reduced the charge from a third-degree felony. On or about April 11, 2021, Moorman allegedly ignored a police officer’s order to bring their vehicle to a stop, and instead, fled from the officer at excessive speeds, ran stop signs, and drove through a residential yard. Moorman was previously convicted of drug abuse (marijuana) on June 17, 2019.

Selena M. Ballard, 59, of Toledo, was sentenced to 11 months in prison, up to two years of probation following release, along with all costs of prosecution, for receiving stolen property, a fifth-degree felony. On or about Aug. 20, 2020, Ballard allegedly received and possessed stolen credit cards that she used to purchase goods and services in the amount of $1,037.54. With her guilty plea on Sept. 15, 2021, a second charge of misuse of credit cards, also a fifth-degree felony, was dismissed.

Aaron L. Thobe, 36, of Celina, was sentenced to two months (60 days) in the Shelby County Jail, a $200 fine, and all costs of prosecution, for a reduced charge of criminal damaging, a first-degree misdemeanor, which accompanied his plea of guilty on Sept. 24, 2021. Initially, Thobe had been charged with receiving stolen property, a fifth-degree felony. On or about March 12, 2021, Thobe allegedly received and possessed a U-Haul car dolly, valued between $1,000 and $7,500, that he knew was stolen.

Andoin R. Rouse, 38, of Bethlehem, Georgia, was released on bail but failed to show up for sentencing on Nov. 17, 2021. A warrant was issued for his arrest. The Surety Company has until Jan. 6, 2022 to bring Rouse to the Shelby County Jail for incarceration. On or about April 7, 2021, the grand jury indicted Rouse on one count of improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony, and that the black 9 mm Taurus Millennium G2 semiautomatic pistol concealed in Rouse’s waistband, within his reach inside an automobile, was intended for use in a felony.

Austin M. Cox, 20, of Sidney, was sentenced to five years of probation (with one day of jail credit), a $250 fine, completion of a drug and alcohol program, and all costs of prosecution, after being convicted of trafficking in drugs (LSD) on or about Sept. 14, 2020, a fifth-degree felony. A second charge of trafficking in drugs (LSD) on or about Sept. 15, 2020, also a fifth-degree felony, was dismissed when Cox entered a plea of guilty on Sept. 27, 2021.

Fonzie Lee Jones, 41, at large, was sentenced to five years of probation, a $200 fine, required drug and alcohol counseling, as well as all costs of prosecution, for trafficking in drugs (heroin), a fifth-degree felony. A second fifth-degree felony charge of trafficking in drugs (Fentanyl) was dismissed following a change of plea to guilty on Sept. 15, 2021. Both charges were for alleged activities conducted on or about Feb. 17, 2020.

Michael Dotson, 45, of Troy, was sentenced to five years of probation and is required to pay all prosecution costs after pleading guilty on Sept. 27, 2021, to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. An additional charge of possessing criminal tools, also a fifth-degree felony, was dismissed. On or about Sept. 21, 2020, Dotson had allegedly possessed Methamphetamine in a baggie.

Lisa M. Kauffman, 57, of Sidney, was sentenced to five years of probation and all costs of prosecution, for being a person selling, purchasing, distributing, or possessing a dangerous drug (Gabapentin, an anti-epileptic and anti-convulsant drug) on or about August 28, 2020, a fourth-degree felony. A second indictment for the same crime occurring on or about Sept. 16, 2020 was dismissed when Kauffman filed a guilty plea on Sept. 22, 2021.

Ashley Drummond, 28, of Lakeview, was sentenced to two years (24 months) in prison, up to two years of probation, and all prosecution costs, after pleading guilty on September 27, 2021 to tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony. Drummond was initially indicted on three felony charges: aggravated possession of drugs (Methamphetamine) on July 7, 2021, a third-degree felony, possession of drugs (Fentanyl) on July 7, 2021, a fifth-degree felony, and tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony. The first two charges were dismissed. The third charge, for which she was convicted, also occurred on July 7, 2021, was for attempting to conceal on her person both Methamphetamine and Fentanyl.

The inability to follow the rules of probation resulted in additional sentencing.

Justin Ramon, 25, of Piqua, was sentenced to one year (12 months) in prison, a discretionary two-year probation, and all costs of prosecution. On Nov. 17, after Ramon admitted violating his probation by failing to comply with a condition of rehabilitation that was tailored to him. On or about July 30, 2019, Ramon allegedly possessed cocaine stored in baggies. On Jan. 28, 2020, Ramon entered a guilty plea to one count of possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, at which time the state dismissed a second charge of possessing criminal tools, also a fifth-degree felony. Initial sentencing took place on March 17, 202o, at which time he was sentenced to five years of probation, completion of the STAR house, as well as drug and alcohol counseling, and payment of all prosecution costs. It was further ordered that Ramon is entitled to 65 days of jail credit.

King
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By Shannon Bohle

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