An 18-year-old Bellefontaine woman has been charged with attempted complicity to murder and complicity to aggravated robbery, felonies of the first degree, and complicity to felonious assault in the April 28 shooting of Joseph Ropp, 29, of Bellefontaine.
Kiana R. Oppy was originally charged with felony obstructing justice. A Logan County grand jury handed up an indictment listing the new charges, each of which the specified that a firearm was used in the commission of the crimes.
Four teenage boys also were charged by indictment, Logan County Prosecutor Eric Stewart reports.
The indictments were necessary to seek serious youthful offender classifications and sentences, particularly for Ryan Saunders who was 13 at the time and therefore too young for an automatic bind over to face adult charges.
Ryan is charged with attempted murder, aggravated robbery, felonious assault and tampering with evidence. He remains lodged in the Logan County Juvenile Detention Center.
Tory Johnson, 14, also lodged in JDC; Mayson Plikerd, 16; and Jayden Nelson, 14; each was charged with attempted complicity to murder, complicity to aggravated robbery and complicity to felonious assault.
Under the blended sentencing for a serious youthful offenders, the Logan County Juvenile Court will hear the cases. If all four are adjudicated to be delinquent, the judge can impose juvenile and adult sentences or sanctions.
Stewart noted that the shooting near Smoker’s Paradise, 922 E. Sandusky Ave., was recorded on a private surveillance camera.
According to the Bellefontaine Police Department’s investigation, the quintet plotted to set up a marijuana buy and rob the victim of his marijuana and cash.
Ropp was shot while inside his car and struck twice, once in the lower right side of his torso and once in the buttock.
Investigators have yet to located the .25-caliber handgun Ryan used in the shooting. They also are trying to determine how he gained possession of the gun.
Anyone with information can contact Detective Blake Kenner at (937)599-1010.