SIDNEY – A city man has pleaded guilty to a negotiated charge of attempted child endangering, a fifth-degree felony, in connection with injuries sustained by an infant child.
It was one of several cases ruled upon in Shelby County Common Pleas Court recently.
On Monday, July 30, Blake Owen Stephens, 21, entered the plea in Shelby County Common Pleas Court. He was subsequently found guilty by Judge James Stevenson.
Stephens, formerly of 303 N. West Ave., was originally indicted on one count of endangering children, a third-degree felony. He is currently incarcerated at Grafton Correctional Institution on other charges.
Stephens faces a maximum of 12 months in prison and a $2,500 fine when sentenced on Sept. 26. As part of the plea negotiations, prosecutors have agreed to remain silent regarding whether the sentence will be served consecutively or concurrently with his present prison term.
On May 3, Stephens was sentenced to 18 months with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) on charges of theft, a fifth-degree felony, and, safecracking, a fourth-degree felony. He was ordered to serve 18 months on the safecracking charge and 12 months on the theft charge. The terms are being served concurrently, or at the same time.
He was convicted on the charges stemming from a Dec. 22, 2016, break-in at a Fort Loramie residence. He was placed on community control sanctions but was found guilty of violating his probation.
Regarding the child endangering case, according to online court records, prosecutors alleged that on March 29 Stephens “administered excessive physical disciplinary measures to an infant child causing bruising to face, lip, arm, chest, back, and neck areas, and hemorrhage to eyes, all of which created a substantial risk of serious physical harm.”
His roommate, Tiffany Ann Roe, 28, was indicted for obstruction of justice, a fifth-degree felony. She allegedly gave misleading statements and attempted to conceal the location of Stephens during the child endangerment investigation on March 29.
In the obstruction case, her final pretrial was set Monday, Aug. 6.
In another matter, on Monday, July 30, Roe had her probation violation bond set at $5,000 in a case where she was a co-defendant with Stephens.
In May, Roe was sentenced to 30 days in jail with work release privileges as part of her probation on charges of theft, a fifth-degree felony, and safecracking, a fourth-degree felony. However, she violated her probation by being discovered at a local tavern and being out past her curfew.
She remains incarcerated at the Shelby County Jail.
A 24-year-old Anna man was sentenced to the ODRC for attempting to escape capture by police.
Brandt M. Kellem, 24, 107 W. Walnut St., received an 11-month term on a charge of attempted failure to comply with the signal of a police officer, a fourth-degree felony, and six months for attempted receiving stolen property, a fifth-degree felony. The sentences will be served consecutively.
Upon his release his driver’s license will be suspended for three years.
On May 12, authorities attempted to make a traffic stop on Kellem who fled the scene at a high rate of speed. The car he was driving was known to be stolen.
In other cases:
• Nathan Wayne Marlow, 35, at large, entered a guilty plea to a charge of attempted trespass in a habitation, a fifth-degree felony. He was found trespassing at 14588 Sharp Road on April 14.
He faces a maximum of 12 months in prison and a $2,500 fine when sentenced on Sept. 18.
• Michael Scott Corner II, 108 Canal St., Port Jefferson, had his probation violation revocation dismissed when authorities were unable to provide enough evidence of a violation.
• Stephen E. Cheek, 47, at large, had his bond set at $7,500 for a probation violation. He is accused of leaving the Shelby House without permission.
• Jeremy D. Shoe, 37, 615East St., pleaded guilty to a charge of domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor during his final pretrial. Records indicate Shoe injured a female family member and has two previous domestic violence violations.
When sentenced he faces a maximum of 12 months in prison and a $2,500 fine.
• Dekodda Goings, 25, at large, had his bond set at $5,000 for a probation violation. He is accused of consuming alcohol, breaking curfew, and failing to report to the probation department.
