GREENVILLE — Darke County Common Pleas Court heard cases involving drugs, sex offender registry and felonious assault on Monday. Judge Jonathan P. Hein presided.
Aaron Sanders, 25, of Ansonia, was sentenced on charges of attempted felonious assault. Sanders allegedly stabbed a male acquaintance in the back, puncturing the victim’s lung, after being told the acquaintance had slept with his girlfriend.
“The victim was sleeping while Mr. Sanders was texting with his girlfriend,” Darke County Assistant Prosecutor Deborah Quigley said. “They were arguing, and she made some provocative statements about having slept with the victim.”
Sanders’ previous record includes charges of driving under the influence, domestic violence, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and drug-related offenses, including a heroin possession charge currently pending in Greene County. Sanders claimed to have been under the influence of LSD when the crime was committed.
“This just really is not who I am,” Sanders told the court. “I’ve subjected myself to a lot of things that I’m not proud of, and I’m glad that’s not what I’m involved with now. I’m a hardworking, loving father, and right now I want to focus on my family, on working and providing for them.”
Judge Hein sentenced Sanders to 12 months in prison for the attack.
“I stopped asking people what they were thinking years ago,” Hein told the defendant. “People usually aren’t thinking when they do things like this. You’ve had problems in the past, and the idea behind sending you to prison is to give you a jolt of some stronger medicine. That’ll hopefully make you not want to cross the line again.”
Alexander Scott, 21, of Greenville, pleaded guilty to endangering children, a second-degree felony carrying penalties of up to eight years in prison and a potential $15,000 fine. An additional charge of felonious assault was dismissed in accordance with a plea agreement between Scott and the Office of the Darke County Prosecutor.
The charges stem from an incident in January of this year, in which Scott caused serious physical harm to a 2-month-old baby.
Darke County Prosecutor R. Kelly Ormsby suggested at least a three-year prison sentence. Judge Hein ordered a pre-sentencing investigation. Scott’s next court appearance is a sentencing hearing, to be held Oct. 1.
Patrick Flint, Jr., 49, of Fort Recovery, was arraigned on charges of failure to provide proof of current address. Flint, a convicted sex offender in Indiana, is required to register with authorities in his county of residence.
Flint provided his address and phone number to Judge Hein and asked to be released on his own recognizance, but prosecutor James Bennett felt the defendant was still a flight risk.
“He has an extensive criminal history, including fugitive from justice filings and charges for failure to appear,” Bennett said.
“I’m not going to miss any court dates,” Flint insisted. “I don’t want any more trouble on my plate than I’ve already got.”
Hein set bond at $20,000. Flint’s next court appearance is a pre-trial hearing, to be held Aug. 20.
Gary Musselman, 61, of Hollansburg, was arraigned on charges of assaulting a peace officer, a fourth-degree felony carrying penalties of up to 18 months in prison and a possible $5,000 fine. Musselman allegedly attacked sheriff’s deputies who were sent to his residence to check on his welfare. Judge Hein released the defendant on his own recognizance but told him to keep his temper under control.
“If members of my staff show up to talk to you, I don’t want you starting a fight with them,” Hein said.
Musselman’s next court appearance is Aug. 20.
Richard James, 28, of Greenville, was arraigned on charges of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony carrying penalties of up to 12 months in prison and a potential $2,500 fine. James pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance. His next court appearance is a status conference, to be held Aug. 10.
