GREENVILLE — Treighton Cole Mendenhall, 23, gave a change of plea in Darke County Common Pleas Court on Friday. Judge Jonathan P. Hein presided.
According to previous reports, Mendenhall was arrested as a passenger in a vehicle driven by Steven Ressler wanted on a parole violation in June.
When Ressler was apprehended, a search of the vehicle revealed several firearms, including an assault rifle lying on the back seat directly beside where Mendenhall had been sitting. The assault rifle was loaded with an ammunition magazine, and another round of ammunition was loaded into the chamber.
Mendenhall claimed all of the firearms inside the vehicle were his and that he was unaware he could not transport a loaded assault rifle in a vehicle. Further investigation revealed he was under indictment in Randolph County, Ind. for felony possession of methamphetamine.
As part of a plea agreement, one count of improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony, was reduced to a fifth-degree felony with a second count, having a weapon under a disability, was dismissed.
If he is found guilty, Mendenhall could face a maximum of 12 months incarceration and a $2500 fine plus up to three years post-release control. His sentencing is slated for Dec. 23.
Also in court was Kayela L. Trittschuh, 29, on allegations of community control violations.
On May 1, Trittschuh was placed on supervision for aggravated trafficking of methamphetamine, a fourth-degree felony. She was one of ten individuals arrested as part of several departments working together to investigate and arrest multiple suspects on drug trafficking charges in Nov. 2018.
Officials from the Darke County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force, Greenville Police Department, Union City Ohio Police Department, and the Union City Indiana Police Department teamed up to make arrests in Darke and Randolph counties.
Bond was set at $20,000 with a probable cause hearing slated for Dec. 2.
Also appearing in Darke County Common Pleas via video from the county jail on Thursday and Friday were the following:
*Glen P. Julian, 47, of Greenville, gave a change of plea on a charge of assaulting a peace officer, a fourth-degree felony. He was released on an own recognizance with sentencing slated for Dec. 2
*Brandon J. Willis, 27, of Greenville, gave a change of plea on three counts of harassment with a bodily substance, all fifth-degree felonies. He was released on an own recognizance bond with sentencing scheduled for Jan. 6, 2020.
*Nicholas A. Martin, 21, of Union City, Ind., gave an initial appearance on a charge of complicity to solicit a minor, a second-degree felony, and importuning, a fifth-degree felony. He was released on an own recognizance bond with a sentencing date slated for Dec. 2.
*Ronald Lehman, 50, of Greenville, on failure to notify change of address, a second-degree felony with bond set at $5000 with a pre-trail conference slated for Dec. 2.
*Shane A. Sargent, 24, on failure to notify change of address, a third-degree felony with bond set at $15,000 and a pre-trial conference slated for Nov. 15.
*Nathan A. Sprowl on receiving stolen property, a fifth-degree felony. He was released on an OR bond with a pre-trial conference slated for Nov. 25.
