By FreeWire-Magazine Staff
Three Crawford County residents charged with sexually related crimes have been sentenced in Crawford County Common Pleas Court recently.
A Bucyrus man was sentenced to more than two decades in prison after pleading guilty to sexually oriented crimes. Jonathan Weis, 36, Bucyrus, was arrested during a traffic stop after a search was conducted by detectives and officers from the Bucyrus Police Department on Jan. 16 at a residence in the 700 block of Wilber Street. He was the target of a child pornography possession investigation. Weis pleaded not guilty to 20 counts of pandering sexually oriented materials involving a minor, all second-degree felonies, during his arraignment on Jan. 30, and his bond was set at $1.5 million.
During a change of plea hearing on April 3, Weis pleaded guilty to counts one through five, and the other charges were dismissed as part of his plea agreement with prosecutors. He was sentenced to five to seven and a half years in prison on the first charge, five years each on counts two, three, and four, and two years behind bars on the fifth charge. The sentences are to be served consecutively for a total of 22 to 24.5 years in prison. He was ordered to pay all court costs associated with his case and must register as a Tier II Sexual Offender upon his release from prison. Weis will receive credit for 77 days he has already served in jail.
A Crestline man was sentenced to at least a decade in prison after he also pleaded guilty to sexual-related charges. Arthur K. Durbin, 33, pleaded guilty to two counts of the illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance, both second-degree felonies, during a change of plea hearing on March 26. Durbin was arrested by Crawford County Sheriff’s deputies on Jan. 22 at his North Thoman Street residence as part of a child pornography investigation. He was the target of the investigation by the Sheriff’s Office, and his cell phone and other electronic items were seized from his residence. On the first count,
Durbin was sentenced to a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of seven and a half years in prison, and five years behind bars on the second charge. The sentences are to be served consecutively for a total of 10 to 12.5 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement with prosecutors, four other charges were dismissed. Like Weis, Durbin must also pay court costs and register as a Tier II sexual offender upon his release from prison. He was ordered to forfeit all pornography-related property to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office. He will receive credit for 63 days he has already served in jail.
During a change of plea hearing last week, Cristy L. Hayes, 41, pleaded guilty to two amended charges of retaliation, both third-degree felonies. She was originally charged with four counts of pandering obscenity to a minor, all second-degree felonies, and a misdemeanor charge of intimidation of a witness. The three remaining charges were dismissed.
Hayes was arrested by Galion Police officers in the 800 block of Crew Avenue on Feb. 12. She was sentenced to 18 months on the first retaliation charge and 36 months in prison on the second charge. The sentences are to be served consecutively for a total of four and a half years in prison. She had to forfeit her cell phone to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office and pay court costs.
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