West Mansfield man admits repeated beatings of former girlfriend

Zackeriah R. Stuart entered a guilty plea Monday to a second-degree felonious assault charge in front of Logan County Common Pleas Judge Mark S. O’Connor.

He was arrested in late January after deputies of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office went to the home and convinced the victim, Heather Puff, that she could reveal the truth about the situation, Assistant Logan County Prosecutor Sarah Warren said in court.

Deputies learned about the violence from Ms. Puff’s ex-husband, Clayton Puff, who resided in the 184 E. Center St., West Mansfield, home along with his ex-wife; their two sons; the defendant; the defendant’s brother; and Ryan Fairchild, a friend of the brother.

Mr. Puff said he noticed the bruising on his ex-wife’s legs and repeated facial injuries. When he asked, she claimed the bruising was from sparring matches with the defendant.

Deputies arrived at the residence and were greeted outside by the victim wearing gloves used by mixed martial arts fighters.

Ms. Puff kept up the ruse and said her injuries were from sparring matches with the suspect.

She finally admitted her boyfriend had been beating her. She also noted he threatened to kill her and her family if she told anyone.

The defendant told deputies he was trying to teach his girlfriend self-defense. He said in court, however, that he had a dual personality disorder that caused him to behave violently.

Ms. Warren said the prosecutor’s office has agreed to recommend a two-year prison sentence when Mr. Stuart appears for sentencing May 16. He faces a maximum sentence of eight years.

Trio sentenced for robbery, assault at bar

FRY

COFFMAN

FORSYTHE

Three Jackson Center men were sentenced to community control sanctions for attacking a man outside Captain’s Point, 305 E. Harrison St., Lakeview, in the early morning hours of Sept. 6.

Christopher Fry, 26, and Andrew Coffman, 27, who each had pleaded guilty to third-degree felony robbery charges will begin their probation with up to six months in the West Central Community Correctional Facility, while Jonathon Forsythe, 21, who admitted a fourth-degree complicity to robbery charge, was ordered to complete community control after he is released from a prison term he is serving for a Shelby County case.

Deputies arrested the trio after Shawn Howell reported from the emergency room of Mary Rutan Hospital that he was struck from behind by a man later identified as Mr. Coffman. Mr. Fry began punching, kicking and stomping his head while demanding money.

• A man who originally was charged with abduction for driving a woman into the country and leaving her there was placed on community control for five years and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.

Walter Cunningham, 57, of Delaware, Ohio, was sentenced on a fourth-degree felony trespassing in a habitation charge for the Sept. 19 incident in which he dropped Angela Grose off along Township Road 25 and left her there during an argument.

• A 51-year-old woman who poked an officer of the Washington Township Police Department in the eye got credit for nine days served in jail and a stern warning that any infractions in the next two years could be an automatic 81 days in jail.

Vicki Carnes was sentenced on a second-degree misdemeanor count of resisting arrest in connection with a Sept. 25 domestic dispute at 8989 Crescent St., Orchard Island, Lakeview, reported by members of the island’s neighborhood watch.

Ms. Carnes and her son, Brandon Whitt, 29, became belligerent with officers who were taking the son into custody on an outstanding warrant.

“If not for the statement of Constable (Rick) Core, you would be doing a lot of time,” Judge O’Connor told the defendant. “It’s disgusting that law enforcement comes out to serve a warrant and gets poked in the eye.”

• Robert Coffee, 38, of Springfield, was sentenced to two years in prison for aggravated trafficking in drugs, a second-degree felony.

He and his wife Sheila Coffee, 39, were arrested Aug. 12 by officers of the Logan County Joint Drug Task Force in Russells Point. Investigators recovered a large amount of prescription pain medication from the two suspects.

• Sarah Alinson, 28, of Bellefontaine, was sentenced to three years of community control after prosecutors reactivated a 2013 diversion case for illegal use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. She must continue to pay restitution to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Other pleas

Several defendants admitted drug and theft-related crimes and will be sentenced May 16.

FOSTER

• A Marysville woman admitted taking prescription drugs from her friend’s aunt and uncle at a Thanksgiving dinner she was invited to attend.

Farrah Foster, 35, of Marysville, pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree felony theft of drugs charge. She was charged after Allison Felty of DeGraff confronted her about taking opiates from her home during the dinner.

KIPKER

• Terrance Kipker, 32, of Bellefontaine, admitted illegal conveyance of drugs into a detention facility, a third-degree felony, and possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, stemming from a Nov. 14 arrest in which officers of the Bellefontaine Police Department were serving a warrant at Super 8 Motel. He reportedly had a plastic bag with 4.5 grams of cocaine in his mouth while being booked into the Logan County Jail.

• Danielle Carpenter, 27, of West Mansfield, pleaded guilty to complicity to trafficking in drugs and was ordered to complete the three-year intervention in lieu of conviction program. She was arrested in connection with a November drug buy by the Logan County Joint Drug Task Force.

• Daniel Monteith, 40, of Bellefontaine, entered a guilty plea to a fifth-degree felony theft and was placed on the prosecutor’s diversion program. He was charged in November for taking several months of rent money from a tenant in apartments he was managing for his parents and not paying it to his parents.

His lawyer presented the prosecutor’s office with a $2,850 restitution check.