Indictments were returned in 14 cases on March 3 by a Knox County Grand Jury for various felony crimes. Arraignments are scheduled for March 14 at 9:00 a.m. in the Knox County Court of Common Pleas before Judge Otho Eyster.

According to Knox County Prosecutor John Thatcher, William L. Garlic, 31, was indicted on charges of aggravated arson, first and second degree felonies, and arson, a fourth degree felony. The first degree felony charge alleges that Garlic, by means of fire, created a substantial risk of serious physical harm to any person other than himself. Thatcher explained this charge is based on the allegation that Garlic started the fire in the dining room with gasoline. As opposed to accidental fires, fires set with ignitable liquids are inherently more dangerous to firefighters because of the risk of explosion and the speed at which set fires spread, according to Thatcher.

The second degree felony charge alleges that the residence at 2168 Granville Road was an occupied structure. Thatcher said, on August 24 at 5:30 a.m., the firefighters who went into the burning house assumed it was occupied and that they were on a lifesaving mission. Although Garlic’s wife was out of town on business and Garlic was not inside the house, Thatcher said the charge only requires proof that the structure was used as a dwelling at the time. The fourth degree felony charge alleges that the property damage exceeded the felony amount of $500.00. Thatcher said the house was totally destroyed, and the loss of property and contents is estimated at $250,000.00.

An initial investigation conducted by Captain Richard Brenneman, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, revealed that Mr. and Mrs. Garlic were experiencing marital difficulties and had just decided to get a divorce. In the early morning hours of August 24, Garlic loaded all of his personal property into a car before allegedly setting the fire. Arson investigators from the State Fire Marshall’s Office investigated the fire scene and had forensic testing done on the evidence they collected at the State Fire Marshall’s laboratory. In mid-January, an additional investigation was completed by the special investigative unit of the insurance company that insured Garlic’s property. Thatcher said this investigation included additional laboratory testing and the report of the findings of an expert in the field of dwelling fire analysis.

Jeremy A. Helmick, 27, Fredericktown, faces charges of obstructing official business and possession of crack cocaine. Thatcher said on February 28 at about 7:30 p.m., Deputies David Shaffer and Courtenay Biggs, KCSO, attempted to serve Helmick with felony arrest warrants out of Richland County at his residence on Upper Fredericktown Road. When Helmick saw the deputies through a window, he allegedly retreated to another part of the house with one of his children. Helmick refused to come out of the house for approximately one hour, but he surrendered without incident as soon as the KCSO Tactical Response Unit arrived. During a search of the house, Helmick pointed out where he had hidden two small white rocks allegedly found to contain crack cocaine. Detective Sergeant Gary Rohler and Detective David Light also investigated the case.

Jeremy Dinsmore, 27, Mount Vernon, is charged with intimidation for allegedly making threats of serious physical harm to Patrolman Andrew Burns, Mount Vernon Police Department, in an apparent attempt to hinder Burns from performing his duties as a police officer. Thatcher said on February 16 at about 2:30 a.m., Patrolman Burns arrested Dinsmore outside of a bar for fighting with another individual who fled without being identified. Dinsmore was intoxicated and highly combative. After being arrested, Dinsmore allegedly attempted to break the windows of the police cruiser and attempted to kick the officer in the face. On the way to the Knox County Jail, Dinsmore allegedly made several specific threats about harming the officer and his family, and injured a deputy slightly while being booked in at the Jail.

According to the indictment, Nathan Alan Temple, 22, Mount Vernon, was convicted of rape and gross sexual imposition, in 2003, and last registered his address with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, on December 17, 2007. Temple is accused of failing to provide change of address for allegedly moving from his registered address without notifying the KCSO, on January 3, 2008.

Ofelia M. Celajes, 53, was indicted for allegedly stealing $10,000.00 in cash from her employer on January 3. The investigation began when Celajes, who worked as a house cleaner, reported to the MVPD that a burglary had occurred at one of the houses she cleaned. When Detective Corporal Matt Dailey determined that the burglary had been staged, he confronted Celajes who allegedly confessed that she stole the money from the house. Thatcher said approximately half of the money has been recovered, but the rest appears to have been wired to Celajes’ family, in the Philippines.

Marilou Campbell, 46, is charged with possessing a stolen motor vehicle. Thatcher said on January 29 at about 1:30 p.m., Campbell was stopped by Patrolman Michael Kemmer, Ohio State Highway Patrol, for a traffic violation on U.S. Route 36 near Sunbury. Through investigation, Trooper Kemmer learned that the license plate on Campbell’s vehicle, a Dodge Intrepid, was actually registered to a stolen 2007 Kia Sorento. At Trooper Kemmer’s request, Sergeant Al Dexter, KCSO, went to Campbell’s residence in Mount Liberty where he recovered the allegedly stolen Kia.

Kenneth Kelton Smaltz, 23, Walhonding, is accused of theft, misuse of a credit card and receiving stolen property. Through investigation, Detective Roger Brown, KCSO, learned that Smaltz allegedly used a stolen Visa card to purchase pre-paid minutes on his cellular telephone, on June 14, 2007. In a separate investigation, Patrolman David McElroy and Detective Craig Feeney, MVPD, staged a buy-bust operation, on August 9, where Smaltz allegedly sold four stolen wheels and tires for $500.00 to an undercover officer. Scott L. Reynolds, 30, Howard, faces two counts of possessing stolen firearms. According to the indictment, Reynolds allegedly had a stolen 50 caliber muzzleloader, on October 1, 2007, and a stolen 410 gauge shotgun two days later. Thatcher said the firearms were stolen in a burglary three weeks earlier. Deputy Max Huffman, KCSO, investigated the case.

Mysaiah Bray, 22, Mount Vernon, is accused of ten counts of theft of checks. Thatcher said between December 28, 2007 and January 20, 2008, Bray allegedly stole ten checks from an ex-girlfriend and passed them at various businesses in amounts totaling $860.00. Patrolman David McElroy, MVPD, investigated the case.

Christina L. Conant, 30, and Mark A. Whittaker, 26, Mount Vernon, are both accused of breaking and entering, possessing criminal tools and illegal cultivation of marihuana. Thatcher said on February 27, Detective Corporal Matt Dailey, MVPD, received an anonymous tip that Conant and Whittaker allegedly broke into an automotive repair business and stole several catalytic converters the day before. Through investigation, Detective Corporal Dailey was able to obtain enough evidence to get a search warrant for the Follin Avenue apartment Conant and Whittaker share. On February 29, MVPD officers allegedly discovered in the attic 56 marihuana plants and other equipment commonly used in illegal marihuana growing operations. Detective Corporal Dailey also learned that Conant and Whittaker allegedly broke into the impound lot of the automotive repair business, used cutting tools to remove the catalytic converters and sold them at various scrap yards for cash.

In unrelated cases, three women were indicted for deception to obtain dangerous prescription drugs.

Alisha Oswalt, 26, Mount Vernon, is charged with ten counts of deception to obtain dangerous drugs and one count of illegal processing of drug documents. Thatcher said between February and December 2006, Oswalt allegedly had overlapping prescriptions for Oxycodone and Oxycontin written by seven doctors filled at nine pharmacies, and she allegedly altered a prescription on February 28, 2007.

Dianna Randles, 46, Dresden, is accused of having overlapping prescriptions for Hydrocodone written by 28 doctors filled at 17 pharmacies since January 2006.

On June 4, 2007, Lorrie M. Vernon, 40, Mount Vernon, allegedly obtained an emergency room prescription for Vicodin that overlapped a prescription her doctor had given her three days earlier for Oxycodone. Thatcher said Vernon allegedly lied to the nurse practitioner at the emergency room when she told the nurse she had run out of her Oxycodone prescription.