NEWS

$100K bond for 4 arrested in drug raid

Todd Hill
Reporter

BUCYRUS – Bond has been set at $100,000 Monday each for four people arrested in a Bucyrus drug raid late last week.

Keith Washington, Robert Baker, Eric D. Baker and Christine Stevens, arrested after they were found at 1203 Monnett St. during a search by authorities shortly after 5 p.m. on Friday, made their initial appearances in Crawford County Municipal Court Monday.

Christine Stevens
Keith Washington
Robert Baker
Eric D. Baker

Each has been charged with possession of about three grams of heroin, all fourth- or fifth-degree felonies, while Washington has also been charged with permitting drug abuse, a fifth-degree felony.

Washington and the Baker brothers are Bucyrus residents with former ties to Marion, Bucyrus Police Chief David Koepke said. Stevens' address could not be determined Monday, but a warrant had been out for her arrest on a probation violation in Morrow County.

"It's quite apparent that you like to jack up the bonds in this court for some reason," Washington said to Municipal Court Judge Shane Leuthold during his court appearance via a video link with the county jail.

Leuthold noted Washington has a criminal history of drug violations, which Washington denied, and also observed that the utility bills at the Monnett Street residence are in this name.

"You appear to have some connection to the residence," the judge told Washington. "Apparently, you were on (investigators') radar for some time. If that's true, you're a serious risk to the community."

Leuthold was more lenient with Eric D. Baker, who had earlier told authorities he hadn't been paying attention to what was going on in the house on Monnett Street when he was there. Baker's family was also in the courtroom Monday, and after the suspect said he had a full-time job the judge attached a 10-percent provision to Baker's $100,000 bond, on the condition that his family obtain written verification from his employer that he's still employed.

"Stay the heck away from those places," Leuthold told Baker, referring to the house that was searched Friday.

Bucyrus Police were assisted in the raid by the Crawford County Special Response Team, consisting of officers from the Crawford County Sheriff's Office, Galion Police Department and METRICH drug enforcement unit. It was the culmination of an investigation that took several months, according to Koepke.

Also Monday, Leuthold set bond at $100,000 for Tyler Steele and Skyler Gearhart, both of whom are accused of robbery, a second-degree felony. They are accused of acting in concert to steal an air conditioner, cell phone and shoes from a man on Wednesday, after setting up a meeting on Facebook, according to the Crawford County prosecutor's office.

In addition, bond was set at $100,000 for Mark Harper, who is charged with gross sexual imposition, a fourth-degree felony, stemming from an alleged incident at the Bucyrus Moose Lodge on Thursday.

thill3@nncogannett.com

419-563-9225

Twitter: @ToddHillMNJ