Highland County grand jury indicts 21 individuals

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A Hillsboro man charged with two counts of the rape of a child was among those indicted in Tuesday’s session of a Highland County grand jury.

Dontay Lamar Burns, 29, has been charged with two counts of first-degree felony rape and one count of third-degree felony gross sexual imposition. According to the indictment, the alleged victim is under the age of 13.

An affidavit filed with the Hillsboro Municipal Court on May 16 states that the child’s mother reported to the Highland County Sheriff’s Office in April that her 12-year-old daughter alleged Burns had sexually abused her over a period of time. The document states that the child was later interviewed at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital where the alleged victim described the details of the abuse.

Burns agreed to give a DNA sample and submitted to a polygraph test with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, according to the affidavit. The document goes on to describe a call from the trooper handling the May 13 polygraph, with the officer saying that Burns’ test “showed deception” and that later in an interview the alleged offender “confessed to the sex abuse.” Burns was arrested that same day.

According to the affidavit, seminal fluid was discovered by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) on the alleged victim’s bed comforter, but at the time the report was prepared the agency had no DNA to compare it to.

Burns is currently being held at the Highland County Justice Center on a $200,000 bond.

Also indicted on Tuesday was Jon Chad Pruitt, 41, Mowrystown. He is charged with 20 counts of fourth-degree felony pandering obscenity involving a minor.

As previously reported, an affidavit filed with the Hillsboro Municipal Court in May states that a search warrant was executed by the Mowrystown Police Department and Highland County Sheriff’s Office at Pruitt’s Mowrystown address on July 25, 2015, after a detective with the Franklin County Crimes Against Children Unit conducted a search warrant on an IP address that reportedly came back to Pruitt.

“Numerous items were taken” from his residence, the affidavit states, including “computers, laptops, zip drives, DVDs, etc.” In August the items were turned over to BCI and in late April, according to the affidavit, a report was received from the agency on findings from the items that had been submitted for analysis some eight months earlier.

Those findings, as listed in the affidavit, were more than 200 videos, 3,000 graphics and 1,000 thumbnails of interest. According to the affidavit, “Numerous torrents with names indicative of child pornography and child erotica … were discovered. Internet history with terms indicative of child pornography and child erotica were discovered.” The affidavit describes that the material depicts children between the approximate ages of 4 and 10 years old involved in various sexual acts.

Pruitt is currently at the county jail, held on a $250,000 bond, according to the jail’s website.

Tracey O’Cull, 39, Hillsboro, was charged Tuesday with first-degree felony involuntary manslaughter and second-degree felony corrupting another with drugs.

The first count in the indictment alleges that in December “Tracey O’Cull did cause the death of Benjamin Hahn as a proximate result of Tracey O’Cull committing or attempting to commit a felony.” Felonies of corrupting another with drugs and trafficking in drugs are listed.

The second count of the indictment states that O’Cull “did knowingly by any means administer or furnish to another or induce or cause another to use a controlled substance.”

There were no indictments Tuesday from an investigation of Hillsboro Mayor Drew Hastings, despite the belief after May’s grand jury that a special prosecutor from the office of state Auditor Dave Yost might present evidence to the June session of the grand jury.

In recent days, those with knowledge of the investigation said it appeared less likely that the prosecutor would be ready to present evidence to the grand jury on Tuesday. The special prosecutor is believed to be reviewing evidence from an investigation that reportedly wrapped up several weeks ago and determining whether to pursue charges.

The following were also indicted in the June session of a Highland County grand jury:

• Gerald Jackson Jr., 34, Hillsboro — charged with receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony.

• Darrell S. Hashman Jr., 28, Piedmont – charged with fourth-degree felony theft of drugs.

• Devon Campbell, 22, Greenfield – charged with fifth-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs.

• Kaleb C. Osceola, 22, Greenfield – charged with fifth-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs.

• Mark L. Ward Jr., 21, Greenfield – charged with second-degree felony illegal manufacture of drugs and third-degree felony illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs.

• Nikki R. Ralph, 30, Chillicothe — charged with second-degree felony illegal manufacture of drugs and third-degree felony illegal assembly.

• Timothy S. Seitz, 26, Greenfield — charged with second-degree felony illegal manufacture of drugs and third-degree felony illegal assembly.

• Lloyd E. Smith, 34, Greenfield – charged with two counts forgery and one count of receiving stolen property, all fifth-degree felonies.

• Mark A. Argueta, 40, Washington C.H. – charged with third-degree felony failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer.

• Roger L. Moore, 34, Greenfield – charged with first-degree felony illegal manufacture of drugs in the vicinity of a school and second-degree felony illegal assembly in the vicinity of a school.

• Jacob Cox, 19, Greenfield – charged with first-degree felony illegal manufacture of drugs in the vicinity of a school and second-degree felony illegal assembly in the vicinity of a school.

• Kevin Steward, 54, Greenfield – charged with third-degree felony domestic violence.

• John Allen Croy, 47, Hillsboro – charged with heroin possession and aggravated possession of drugs, both fifth-degree felonies.

• Joshua James Hall, 30, Hillsboro – charged with safecracking, a fourth-degree felony, and fifth-degree felony theft.

• Arminthea Davis, 51, Hillsboro – charged with second-degree felony burglary, fifth-degree felony breaking and entering, and four misdemeanor counts of theft.

• Courtney Marie Davis, 24, Hillsboro – charged with failure to register a change of address as a registered sex offender, a fifth-degree felony.

• Cora C. Cox, 34, Hillsboro – charged with fifth-degree felony heroin possession.

• Steven D. Fraley, 29, Hillsboro – charged with receiving stolen property and heroin possession, both fifth-degree felonies.

Reach Angela Shepherd at 937-393-3456, ext. 1681, or on Twitter @wordyshepherd.

Burns
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2016/06/web1_DontayBurns-3.jpgBurns
Rape, manslaughter among charges

By Angela Shepherd

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