Chicago defendant brings child to court, taken into custody; authorities care for youngster

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SIDNEY – A Chicago, Illinois, man who arrived in Shelby County Common Pleas Court for his sentencing Friday, with a young child in tow allegedly due to the lack of childcare, was jailed thus leaving the county to provide temporary babysitting services.

The case was one of several ruled on recently by Judge James Stevenson.

Willie Thomas Price Jr., 34, was scheduled to be sentenced on two felony charges at 9 a.m. Friday. When the case was called later that morning, Shelby County Public Defender Andrew Venters informed officials his client had phoned saying he was on his way from Chicago. Venters added Price was bringing a child to court being unable to secure childcare.

Stevenson agreed to delay the case until when Price was expected to arrive at 11:45 a.m. He also noted that all defendants are notified of possible incarceration during court proceedings and having adequate to properly plan such matters.

According to Shelby County Prosecutor Tim Sell, Price did appear in court and was taken into custody. The child was cared for by the local Children’s Services office. Price was able to arrange for family members to pick up the child, according to Sell.

The court rescheduled Price’s sentencing for Monday, July 16, at 3 p.m. at which time he was sented to 30 months in prison for possession of drugs and 30 months in prison for failure to comply with the signal or order of a police officer. The sentences are to be served consecutively.

On May 14, Price pleaded guilty to amended charges in connection with a high-speed chase along Interstate 75. He was found guilty on charges of possession of drugs, and, for failure to comply with the signal or order of a police officer, both third-degree felonies.

On Feb. 10, Price was arrested at 4:50 p.m. near Piqua by the Ohio State Patrol (OSP) following a high-speed pursuit along Interstate 75 that began in Auglaize County.

According to OSP Lt. Scott Carrico of the Wapakoneta Post, the pursuit began after Price failed to stop when troopers attempted to pull over his vehicle with no license plates in Auglaize County. The chase exceeded 100 miles per hour and ended at the Miami-Shelby County line at mile-marker 88 when the fleeing vehicle drove over road-spikes.

Price allegedly was found with a bulk amount of marijuana and firearms stolen out of Gary, Indiana. No one was injured during the incident.

Court rules in recent cases

Joshua Causey, 36, incarcerated, was ordered to prison when he was found to have committed several probation violations. He had been unsuccessfully terminated at the Shelby House, became unemployed, tested positive for drugs, and failed to pay probation fees, according to online court records.

Causey was sentenced to 18 months with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for aggravated assault, a fourth-degree felony. He was found guilty of slashing a man several times with a knife causing serious injury on Sept. 25, 2016.

In a plea negotiation hearing, Jeremy S. Stanley, 39, at large, entered guilty pleas to three charges involving two separate cases. It was also ruled he would forfeit $575 in cash that was acquired through criminal activities.

Stevenson found him guilty of illegal conveyance of a prohibited item onto the grounds of a detention facility, a third-degree felony, aggravated trafficking in drugs, a fourth-degree felony, and possession of criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony.

On April 27, Stanley had been arrested for being part of a vehicle chase attempting to elude deputies. While being booked into jail, deputies discovered a plastic bag that contained six different drugs.

When sentenced, Stanley is facing a maximum of 5 ½ years in prison and fines totaling $17,500.

Sidney man faces multiple charges, cases

Marlon D. Robinson, 35, 329 Maple St., remains jailed on a $100,000 cash bond as he faces multiple charges in three separate felony cases. He entered a not guilty plea in one of the cases recently.

Probation violations led to Robinson being jailed and awaiting sentencing in two cases on two counts of trafficking in drugs, fifth-degree felonies; aggravated trafficking in drugs, a fourth-degree felony; and failure to appear, a fourth-degree felony.

According to online court records, the other cases indicate Robinson was arrested by Sidney Police on March 30, as a backseat passenger in a traffic stop. Officers reportedly detected the odor of marijuana and investigated. Drugs were allegedly found in his backpack.

Robinson was charged with aggravated trafficking in drugs, a third-degree felony, trafficking in drugs, and possession of criminal tools, both fifth-degree felonies.

On Aug. 3, Robinson was indicted for aggravated trafficking in drugs, a third-degree felony, trafficking drugs, a fourth-degree felony, and three counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs, all fourth-degree felonies.

Robinson pleaded not guilty to those charges that stem from his alleged possession and sale of Fentanyl and heroin. One charge noted he was supposedly selling drugs near a school. A jury trial is scheduled for Aug. 21.

By Jim Painter

For the Sidney Daily News

The writer is a regular contributor to the Sidney Daily News.

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