By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Crawford County Municipal Court Judge Sean Leuthold took note of what was seized when he set bond for the man arrested Friday in Bucyrus.
Leuthold set bond for Keith Williams at $1 million. Williams was taken into custody Friday when local law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at 235 East Rensselaer Street. Williams is charged with third-degree felony possession of a controlled substance.
Authorities seized a large amount of heroin, prescription medication, drug paraphernalia and cash. Brad Starkey was appointed to represent Williams.
The result of a March search warrant finally came to a head in Crawford County Common Pleas Court on Monday. Forty-four-year-old Bart Kegley of Crestline pleaded guilty to a third-degree felony drug possession, a fifth-degree felony drug possession, and a third-degree illegal cultivation of marijuana.
Kegley admitted that all of the charges occurred on March 13 when officers from the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the Bucyrus and Galion police departments, and the METRICH Enforcement Unit executed a search warrant at a home on Klahn Road. Ninety-three marijuana plants, which law enforcement believed were part of an indoor growing operation, were seized along with firearms, drugs, cash, and drug paraphernalia.
Kegley was placed on community control for five years on all three counts with the specification that he complete a drug and alcohol assessment and any follow up treatment. His driver’s license was suspended for six months. Kegley must pay a $5,000 fine for the felony three drug possession and another $5,000 fine for the illegal cultivation of marijuana.
He also agreed to forfeit all drug-related property being held by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office as well as forfeit all property seized by the Sheriff’s Office, including $693, a 2010 Chevy Silverado truck, and numerous firearms. The Sheriff’s Office will return two sets of keys and a Stihl chainsaw.
Twenty-two-year-old Stephanie Arbogast of Galion may have wasted her opportunity on intervention but she will still be able to avoid doing any jail time.
As part of her intervention program, Arbogast had entered a guilty plea to drug possession in September of 2013, which was to be held until she successfully completed her program. The Galion woman returned to Common Pleas Court Monday to admit to her intervention violations.
Arbogast admitted that on Sept. 6 and 15 she admitted to using heroin and failed to attend her relapse prevention program as ordered by her supervising officer since Aug. 20.
As part of her agreement in admitting to her violations, Arbogast will be placed on community control for five years and had her license suspended for six months. She was also fined a $1,250 mandatory drug fine and her intervention was revoked. Arbogast will be held in the county jail until she can be placed into a treatment program.
