SIDNEY — The Shelby County Common Pleas Court recently handed down several sentences for assault, drug trafficking, domestic violence and pandering obscenity involving a minor, among other charges.
Melvin M. Martin, 50, who is in the Shelby County Jail, was sentenced to 17 months in prison with nine days of jail credit and discretionary post-release control of up to two years for aggravated assault, a fourth-degree felony. Martin was indicted on felonious assault, a second-degree felony, for knowingly causing physical harm to an adult male victim by stabbing him in the abdomen with a knife.
Sterling L. Freeman, 60, who is in the Shelby County Jail, was sentenced to no more than five years of community control, 90 days in the Shelby County Jail with 35 days of jail credit, and successful completion of anger and range counseling and drug and alcohol counseling for violating a protection order and assault, first-degree misdemeanors. Freeman was indicted on the same charges as well as abduction, a third-degree felony, for being within 500 feet of the female victim, punching her in the face and attempting to drag her toward his vehicle to take her against her will. The abduction charge was dismissed.
Jonathan A. Thorpe, 26, of Sidney, was sentenced to five years of community control with two days of jail credit and successful completion of drug and alcohol counseling and the Thinking for a Change program for three charges of trafficking in drugs, third and fourth-degree felonies. Thorpe was indicted on seven charges of trafficking in drugs, second, third and fourth-degree felonies, for knowingly selling or offering to sell and preparing marijuana and hashish for transport and distribution while in the vicinity of a school, but four charges were dismissed.
Bryan K. Huffman, 35, who is in the Shelby County Jail, was sentenced to five years of community control with 67 days of jail credit and successful completion of drug and alcohol counseling and anger and rage counseling for attempted domestic violence, a fifth-degree felony. Huffman was indicted on the same charge, a third-degree felony, for grabbing an adult female victim by the neck and threatening to kill her, having previously been convicted of two domestic violence charges in the Miami County Municipal Court.
Jacob A. Whitmore, 22, of Sidney, was sentenced to five years of community control with 24 days of jail credit and successful completion of treatment at WORTH or another CBCF for attempted tampering with evidence, a fourth-degree felony. Whitmore was indicted on complicity to tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony, and obstructing justice, a fifth-degree felony, for helping Danny L. Whitmore appear ill and crippled before and after his court appearance to receive a lesser sentence from the court. The obstructing justice charge was dismissed.
Damon M. Gilbert, 26, who is in the Butler County Jail, was sentenced to 11 months in prison with 11 days of jail credit and discretionary post-release control of up to two years and is ordered to pay restitution of $2,338.33 for theft, a fifth-degree felony. Gilbert was indicted on the same charge and misuse of a credit card, a fifth-degree felony, for knowingly stealing credit card information without the owner’s consent and using it to secure property or services exceeding $1,000. The credit card misuse charge was dismissed.
Joshua A. Reynolds, 39, who is in the Shelby County Jail, was sentenced to five years of community control with 151 days of jail credit and successful completion of sex offender counseling for pandering obscenity involving a minor, a fourth-degree felony. The charge also makes him a Tier-II sex offender. Reynolds was indicted on the same charge, a second-degree felony, for possessing, disseminating, and providing to another an obscene image that depicted a minor as one of the participants.
