A local man has been indicted after allegedly assaulting his pregnant girlfriend on back-to-back days.
The Union County Grand Jury has indicted Christopher Coffenberger, 32, of 429 S. Maple St., Marysville. Coffenberger is charged with one count of domestic violence.
COFFENBERGER
According to court documents, on Aug. 18, Coffenberger and his live-in girlfriend were having an argument. The girlfriend, who is pregnant, tried to leave the home, but Coffenberger allegedly blocked the exits. When the woman was able to get outside, she got to her truck. As she tried to leave, Coffenberger allegedly ran to the truck and took the keys.
According to court documents, the woman, “exited the truck and attempted to run northbound to the Ohio State Highway Patrol Post-80.”
Coffenberger allegedly chased and caught the woman and put her in a “bear-hug.”
The hug caused the woman to fall. While the pair was on the ground, the woman’s dog bit both her and Coffenberger.
According to court documents, the was woman was “badly bitten in the leg and drove to the hospital after being seen by medics.”
The felony charges came one day after another incident with the same couple.
According to court documents, about 11:30 p.m., Aug. 17, the same woman was driving her truck when Coffenberger allegedly started screaming and throwing things at her.
“Christopher stated he would do anything for his family, even kill, (the woman) provided in a witness statement,” according to court documents.
The woman said she was afraid Coffenberger would cause her to crash her truck.
The woman was attempting to drive to the Marysville Division of Police.
“Christopher stated that she would regret going to the police and would pay for it,” according to court documents.
When the woman arrived at the police station, Coffenberger went to hit her, but she was able to get out. Coffenberger did allegedly take her phone and ran into the woods.
Domestic violence is typically charged as a misdemeanor. However, Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips said that because the woman was pregnant and Coffenberger knew it, the crime was elevated to a felony.
If convicted, Coffenberger could face as many as 12 months in prison.
Also indicted was:
– Timothy Baumgardner, 49, of Bellefontaine. Baumgardner is charged with one count each of burglary and assault.
According to court documents, on Aug. 16, Baumgardner started knocking on the door of a Cypress Drive home where his sister and her boyfriend lived.
Before the woman, who had been sleeping on the couch, could get to the door, Baumgardner entered the home without permission. Once inside, Baumgardner asked where the boyfriend was. When the sister told him, “Baumgardner immediately walked back to the bedroom where (the boyfriend) was sleeping.”
“Timothy Baumgardner punched (the boyfriend) in the right eye while (the boyfriend) was asleep,” according to court documents.
The sister was eventually able to get control of Baumgardner and force him out of the home.
Phillips said the victim’s eye was bleeding and swollen when police arrived.
He said that while Baumgardner appeared to have been intoxicated at the time of the incident, “there is no indication in the reports as to why he may have done that.”
If convicted, Baumgardner could face more than eight years in prison.
– Ian F. McCarty, 28, of 7 Hillcrest Dr. McCarty is charged with two counts of pandering sexually-oriented matter involving a minor or impaired person and two counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance.
The investigation began with information from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Taskforce in April. ICAC officials said they found child pornography being uploaded to the internet.
Local investigators reviewed the information provided by ICAC, which had already issued a subpoena to determine the uploads were occurring at 7 Hillcrest Drive, in Hillcrest Mobile Home Park.
In April, local and ICAC officials executed a search warrant at the home. At that time, investigators removed a computer and several hard drives. The electronics were sent to the Ohio State Police computer crime lab.
When officials received the report from state police, it indicated the computer contained at least 44 sexually graphic images involving a “toddler” and an adult man.
While investigating information found as part of the search warrant, ICAC contacted Marysville Police to notify them McCarty was still allegedly engaging in the behavior. Shortly after, McCarty was arrested without incident at his home as police served another search warrant.
Police stressed that pandering obscenity of a minor is more than just possessing child pornography. Pandering is when a person creates, reproduces, buys, sells, trades, advertises or publicly distributes or displays obscene material of a child.
Officials said they do not know if McCarty was actually making the pornography or simply uploading it or even if any of the children in the pictures are local.
If convicted, McCarty could face more than 18 years in prison.