WILLIAMS COUNTY PROSECUTOR OFFICE INFORMATION RELEASE – The Williams County Grand Jury convened on February 21 and returned indictments against twenty-four individuals.
Those indicted include:
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- Jeffrey S. Ames, 20, of Bryan was indicted on one count of Burglary, a second-degree burglary, and one count of Petty Theft, a first-degree misdemeanor. Ames is accused of breaking into an occupied structure in Bryan and stealing a Motorola cell phone on or about January 25.
- Paul J. Bakle, 39, of Van Wert was indicted on a total of four counts including one count of Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle, a fourth-degree felony; one count of Grand Theft, a third-degree felony; one count of Theft, a fifth-degree felony; and one count of Misuse of Credit Cards, a fifth-degree felony. Bakle is accused of stealing a Chevy pick-up, an handgun, and a credit card on or about November 14, 2022 as well as attempting to use that credit card on or about November 16, 2022.
- Michael F. Behringer, 65, of Bryan was indicted for Aggravated Possession of Drugs. Behringer is charged with possessing or using methamphetamine on or about May 27, 2022.
- Robert A. Bell, 41, of Bryan was indicted for Failure to Appear, a fourth-degree felony, for failing to appear as required by the court in connection to a previous felony charge.
- Micheal E. Cavanaugh, 36, of Bryan was indicted on a total of seven counts including one count of Abduction, a third-degree felony; one count of Felonious Assault, a second-degree felony; two counts of Domestic Violence, each a first-degree misdemeanor; and three counts of Endangering Children, each a first-degree misdemeanor. The charges stem from incidents occurring on or about January 1, 2023 when authorities allege that Cavanaugh abducted a female at gunpoint, caused or attempted to cause physical harm to a household or family member, and knowingly put minors under his care in danger of risk to health or safety. Specifications have been added to the Felonious Assault charge indicating the use of a firearm during the commission of the offense.
- Brandon J. Cousino, 29, of Montpelier was indicted for Failure to Comply with Order or Signal of Police Officer, a third-degree felony, and Driving Under Suspension, a first-degree misdemeanor. Authorities allege that Cousino was operating a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license and failed to stop as directed by a police officer on or about December 27, 2022.
- Joshua P. Engel, 42, of Bryan was indicted for Felonious Assault, a second-degree felony, and Domestic Violence, a third-degree felony. Engel is charged with causing serious harm to another as well as causing or attempting to cause physical harm to a household or family member on or about January 31. Engel has been previously convicted of or pleaded guilty to similar charges in the Bryan Municipal Court and Williams County Common Pleas Court.
- Noah T. Frisby, 22, of Williams County was indicted on a total of six counts including one count of Felonious Assault, a second-degree felony; one count of Domestic Violence a third-degree felony; one count of Endangering Children, a second-degree felony; and three counts of Intimidation, each a third-degree felony. Frisby is charged with causing serious physical harm to a 17-year-old, who is a member of his household or family, on or about January 15. Frisby has been previously convicted of or pleaded guilty to a Domestic Violence Charge by the Bryan Municipal Court and the Williams County Common Pleas Court. Frisby is also charged with threatening or intimidating the victim of a crime on or about January 20, January 22, and January 24.
- Joseph T. Furniss, 39, of Hamilton Lake, Indiana was indicted for Disrupting Public Services, a fourth-degree felony. Furniss is accused of tampering with the ability of law enforcement officers or rescue personnel while they were responding to an emergency or trying to protect a person or property from physical harm on or about January 26.
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- Ryan T. Gainor, 30, of Toledo was indicted for Aggravated Possession of Drugs, a fifth-degree felony. Gainor is charged with possessing or using Fentanyl on or about November 22, 2022.
- Gabriel K. Gambler, 44, of Montpelier was indicted on a total of 10 counts including one count of Obstruction of Official Business, a fifth-degree felony; one count of Assault, a fourth-degree felony; two counts of Aggravated Possession of Drugs, one second-degree felony and one third-degree felony; two counts of Aggravated Trafficking in Drugs, one second-degree felony and one third-degree felony; one count of Possession of Heroin, a fourth-degree felony; one count of Trafficking in Heroin, a fourth-degree felony; one count of Possession of Cocaine, a fifth-degree felony; and one count of Trafficking in Cocaine, a fifth-degree felony. The drug charges stem from incidents occurring on or about November 15, 2022, when authorities allege that Gambler possessed, used, or prepared for shipment and/or distribution compounds used for the preparation of methamphetamine, heroin, Fentanyl, and cocaine. Specifications to the drug charges indicate that Gambler was in possession of $797.00 that was used in the commission to the offenses and which is subject to seizure by and forfeiture to the state. The obstruction and assault charges stem from incidents occurring on or about January 18, when authorities allege that Gambler prevented a Montpelier Police Officer from the performance of his or her lawful duties and caused or attempted to cause physical harm to that officer.
- Richard L. Goebel, 52, of Stryker was indicted one count of Trespass in a Habitation, a fourth-degree felony, and one count of Public Indecency, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. Goebel is accused of trespassing in a Bryan residence as well as engaging in sexual conduct when likely to be in view of others not of his household on or about February 13.
- Melanie J. Hedger, 40, of Sherwood was indicted for Vandalism, a fifth-degree felony. Hedger is charged with vandalizing property owned by the Correction Center of Northwest Ohio on or about December 6, 2022.
- Tracy L. Hill, 53, of Montpelier was indicted for Aggravated Possession of Drugs, a fifth-degree felony. Hill is charged with possessing or using methamphetamine on or about January 4.
- Matthew A. Johns, 34, of Montpelier was indicted for Vandalism, a fifth-degree felony. Johns is charged with vandalizing property owned by the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio on or about December 5, 2022.
- Stephen M. Meadows, 40, of Bryan was indicted on a total of three counts including Aggravated Possession of Drugs, a second-degree felony; one count of Illegal Conveyance of a Drug of Abuse onto the Grounds of a Detention Facility; a third-degree felony; and one count of Tampering with Evidence, a third-degree felony. Meadows is accused of possessing or using, as well as taking onto the grounds of the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio, methamphetamine on or about February 10 as well as of tampering with evidence during an official proceeding on or about February 11.
- Jonathan J. Merchant, 32, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was indicted on a total of four counts including one count of Failure to Comply with Order or Signal of Police Officer, a third-degree felony; one count of Assault, a fourth-degree felony; one count of Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drug of Abuse, a first-degree misdemeanor; and one count of Resisting Arrest. Merchant is charged with failing to stop as signaled by a police officer, causing or attempting to cause harm to an officer, driving a vehicle while under the influence, and resisting arrest on or about January 14.
- Michael R. Moser, 43, of Bryan was indicted on two counts of Failure to Comply with Signal of Police Officer, each a third-degree felony. Moser is charged with failing to stop as directed by law enforcement on or about December 20, 2022 and February 7, 2023.
- Brenton L. Nichols, 39, of Hudson, Michigan was indicted for Domestic Violence, a fourth-degree felony. Nichols is charged with causing or attempting to cause physical harm to a household or family member on or about January 27. Nichols was previously convicted of or pleaded guilty to a similar charge in Wood County Municipal Court.
- Taylor J. Oost, 30, of Defiance was indicted on one count of Illegal Conveyance of a Drug of Abuse onto the Grounds of a Detention Facility, a third-degree felony, and one count of Possession of Drugs, a fifth-degree felony. Oost is charged with possessing or using, as well as carrying onto the grounds of the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio, Suboxone on or November 30, 2022.
- Amanda L. Recollet, 42, of Stryker was indicted on two counts of Aggravated Possession of Drugs, each a fifth-degree felony. Recollet is charged with possessing or using methamphetamine on or about August 14, 2022 and Adderall on or about July 31, 2022.
- Virgil D. Ridgway, 30, of Bryan was indicted for Aggravated Possession of Drugs, a fifth-degree felony. Ridgway is charged with possessing or using methamphetamine on or about October 25, 2022.
- Jochua A.Z. Smallwood, 31, currently lodged at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio, was indicted on two counts of Violating Protection Order, a fifth-degree felony. It is alleged that, on or about January 13, Smallwood violated a protection order issued by the Williams County Common Pleas Court.
- Brandon S. Whalen, 24, of Montpelier was indicted for Aggravated Possession of Drugs, a fifth-degree felony. Whalen is charged with possessing or using methamphetamine on or about April 6, 2022.
*It should be noted that an indictment is merely an accusation and that all criminal defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
**Story updated on March 1, 2023 to correct the date “on or about” from January 25, 2023 to January 1, 2023 concerning the above list Micheal E. Cavanaugh indictment.
