• E-Edition
• Home
• News
• Sports
• AP
• Obituaries
• Classifieds
• Jobs
• Autos
• Homes
• Garage Sales
• Coupons
• Subscribe
• Archive
• Services
• Contribute
• Blogs

Defiance County grand jury indicts 15 individuals on charges

E-mail Story    |    Print Story    |    Comments    |   

A Defiance County grand jury has returned indictments against 15 persons, including two persons who allegedly abused an elderly person, according to Prosecutor Morris Murray's office.

Douglas Church, 37, 17334 Highland Center Road, and his wife, Tiana Church, 33, 17334 Highland Center Road, were each indicted on charges of felonious assault, a second-degree felony; abduction, a third-degree felony; and theft, a fourth-degree felony.

They allegedly restrained Nelma Church, 67 -- Douglas Church's mother -- and "physically assaulted her in a variety of ways," according to Murray. Authorities said the victim sustained injuries that required medical attention, although none were life threatening.

Murray said Nelma Church was living with the Churches and allegedly had been abused over a period of approximately six months. The defendants allegedly stole more than $5,000 in money from the victim.

The case was investigated by the sheriff's office.

"This is one of the more serious cases we have seen relative to elderly abuse in recent times," said Sheriff David Westrick.

Nelma Church recently filed domestic violence civil protection order complaints against each defendant in Defiance County Common Pleas Court.

The maximum prison term for the three charges is 141/2 years.

Also indicted were:

-- Zane Bartley, 23, Oakwood, and Kyle Cereghin, 18, 13330 Oris St., each for illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs and theft, both third-degree felonies. Authorities allege that they stole anhydrous ammonia from a business in Mark Center and were found in possession of materials and equipment used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.

-- Angela Brown, 29, Napoleon, and Matthew Rhoads, 24, Napoleon, each for burglary, a third-degree felony. They allegedly entered a Defiance residence without permission. Brown was also indicted for assault, a first-degree misdemeanor, after allegedly causing physical harm to a person at the residence.

-- Keith Bryan, 37, Napoleon, two counts of gross sexual imposition, each a third-degree felony. The charges allege that he had sexual contact with a female juvenile under the age of 13.

-- Dale Collins, 37, Paulding, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony. Authorities allege that he failed to stop when directed to do so by a police officer and led officers on a high-speed pursuit in Paulding County.

-- Steven Hudkins, 29, 700 Ralston Ave., grand theft, a fourth-degree felony. Authorities allege that he stole more than $5,000 from a Defiance business.

-- Tony Pollock Jr., 33, 30723 Ohio 281, failure to provide change of address, a third-degree felony; two counts of assault, each a fourth-degree felony; and resisting arrest, a first-degree misdemeanor. He allegedly failed to provide written notice of address change as required by his sexual offender status, and caused physical harm to two sheriff's deputies while resisting arrest.

-- Chad Thompson, 41, Hicksville, DUI, a fourth-degree felony. The charge alleges that he operated a vehicle in Hicksville while under the influence of alcohol, having been convicted of five or more violations within 20 years.

-- Rebecca Clemens, 56, 822 Jefferson Ave., six counts of failure to remit state income taxes withheld from an employee and filing incomplete, false and fraudulent returns, each a fifth-degree felony. Authorities allege that she failed to remit to state income taxes withheld from employees while employed as a secretary-treasurer for Arps Hardware. The last charge alleges that she filed a false personal tax return. Clemens has also been convicted of past tax fraud charges, according to the prosecutor's office.

-- Hope Lingler, 50, 816 Jefferson Ave., theft, a fifth-degree felony. She allegedly stole credit cards from a person's purse.

-- Allen Shellenbarger, 53, 360 E. Rosewood Ave., telecommunications harassment, a fifth-degree felony. He allegedly telecommunicated with someone after being told not to do so, having had two prior convictions for the same offense.

-- Emily Zimmer, 32, Oakwood, nine counts of theft of drugs, each a fourth-degree felony, and nine counts of tampering with records, each a first-degree misdemeanor. She allegedly stole prescription medication from a Defiance business.

According to Murray, the defendants are scheduled for arraignment at 9 a.m. May 20 in common pleas court.