The Union County Grand Jury has indicted a Marion man in connection with a series of January car break-ins.
The grand jury has indicted Shawn Allen Stansberry, 31, of Marion charging him with seven counts each of breaking and entering and theft and one count each of theft of drugs, receiving stolen property and petty theft.
According to court documents, on Jan. 8, Stansberry allegedly broke into at least seven vehicles in the northern part of the county. He allegedly took bank cards, gift cards, credit cards and electronics. He reportedly stole an Ohio Department of Transportation laptop from one of the vehicles.
The man reportedly tried to use the debit card. The machine he used had a video camera and the transaction was caught on tape, according to Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips.
Additionally, the ODOT laptop had a tracking card, Phillips said.
Investigators from the Union County Sheriff’s Office took the photo from the cash machine to the Marion City Police Department where officers were able to identify the man.
Phillips explained that, “a lot of times, when we have these kinds of break-ins in the northern part of the county, we see people coming from Marion.”
Phillips said many of the vehicles were unlocked. He said the thief may have found a way to steal the items anyway, but an unlocked vehicle makes it easier.
“Certainly, you should be able to have items of value in your car without fear that your car will be broken into,” Phillips said. “However, we have had a number of reports just like this throughout the county where someone has gotten into a vehicle and taken valuables.”
He added, “the best advice is to take items of value out of your vehicle.”
If convicted on all charges, Stansberry could face more than 20 years in prison.
Also indicted was:
– Heather Shirer, 39, of Bradenton, Florida. Shirer is charged with 12 counts of nonsupport of dependents. Court documents allege that between May 2014 and this year, Shirer failed to pay child support for her two children, now 20 and 18 years old, living in Union County. Phillips said Shirer made three, “sporadic, lump sum payments,” but “there had been no payments for quite a while.”
He said Union County Department of Job and Family Services repeatedly contacted the woman and tried to work with her. He said Shirer owes nearly $8,700 in support she never paid for her children.
If convicted, Shirer could face as many as 12 years in prison.
– Nicholas Adam Call, 32, of 701 Mill St. Lot 10, North Lewisburg. Call is charged with two counts of trafficking in cocaine and one count of possession of cocaine, stemming from a Dec. 28 incident.
Phillips said Call was driving on U.S. 33 when he caught the attention of an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper.
Phillips said drivers nearly always respond a certain way when they pass a law enforcement official.
“There are some drivers, when they go by, they have a reaction that is so out of the ordinary that it draws the attention of the trooper,” Phillips said.
The trooper began to follow the man and pulled him over for driving in the passing lane while the right-hand lane was empty. The trooper wrote that as Call got out of the vehicle, the drugs were in plain view.
Phillips said there was a toddler in a car seat.
“During the investigation, it was determined that he was allegedly transporting the drugs to provide them to a friend, thus the trafficking,” Phillips said.
If convicted, Call could face as many as 42 months in prison.
– Kaylah Watters, 21, of Columbus and Nicole Maynard, 19, of Whitehall. Both women are charged with one count of theft. According to court documents, on May 3, Watters and Maynard went into a local department store. Watters got a suit case and a backpack from inside the store and “began putting miscellaneous clothes and merchandise inside of both items.”
The woman then walked past all points of sale. When loss store employees confronted the woman outside the store, she “began running to her vehicle.”
Phillips said the women allegedly took $2,609 worth of merchandise.
If convicted, Watters and Maynard could each face as many as 12 months in prison.
– Leanthony M’Chiko Robertson, 24, and Essence Imani McGrew, 27, both of Columbus. Robertson and McGrew are each charged with one count of possession of cocaine, stemming from an Oct. 14, incident.
If convicted, Robertson and McGrew could each face as many as 12 months in prison.