A Smithville man charged recently with especially aggravated kidnapping after holding another man at gunpoint and taking his car appeared for sentencing in DeKalb County Criminal Court Monday, April 3
John Thomas Mason of Smithville Highway, Smithville entered a plea by criminal information to the lesser offense of attempted especially aggravated kidnapping and theft over $1,000. He received a ten year sentence on the kidnapping charge as a range 1 offender to serve six months of the term with the rest to be served on TDOC probation. Mason got a two year sentence for the theft as a range 1 offender with the term suspended to probation. The sentences are to run concurrently with each other. Mason is to make restitution of $6,246 to one victim and $371.64 to another.
Mason was previously arrested with a co-defendant, 35 year old Christina Love Johnson and charged with theft of property over $1,000. Mason was also previously charged with possession of contraband in the jail and assault.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Monday, December 19, 2016 the Sheriff’s Department received a report of a stolen 2005 Toyota Corolla, valued at $6,000. Two days later, on Wednesday December 21 Mason and Johnson were found in possession of the car in Warren County. A further investigation revealed that Mason held a man at gunpoint in the car forcing him to drive to Midway Road and then he took the car at gunpoint.
The case against Johnson remains pending in court.
22 year old Dustin Allen Sullivan of Jackson Street, Smithville entered a plea by criminal information to burglary, resisting arrest, and evading arrest. He received a four year sentence in the burglary case suspended to supervised probation and 11 months and 29 days in each of the other two offenses to run concurrently with each other. He was ordered to make restitution of $9,485 to the victim.
Sheriff Ray said that on Friday, January 27 a detective and deputy conducted a traffic stop on Cecil Hale Road in Smithville. Sullivan was a passenger of the vehicle. He had active warrants against him. Sullivan was asked several times by the detective to step outside the vehicle but he refused. Sullivan was forcibly removed from the automobile as he continued to resist. Sullivan was then handcuffed and transported to the jail for booking.
In the burglary case, Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, October 22, 2015 Sullivan allegedly broke into a building on Sink Creek Road and took several mechanics tools including wrenches, rachets, sockets, and pliers valued at more than $12,000. Tools from the victim’s property were later found in the homes of both Sullivan and a co-defendant.
30 year old Michael George Rowland entered a plea to attempted possession of meth over 0.5 grams for sale and delivery and unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. He received a six year TDOC sentence to serve in the drug case and two years on the other charge. The two terms are to run concurrently with each other. He is to forfeit his weapon and make $100 restitution to the Smithville Police Department. Rowland was fined $2,000. He was given jail credit from August 26, 2016 to April 3, 2017.
According to Smithville Police, officers were called to a residence on Friday, August 26, 2016 to investigate a possible physical domestic. Upon arrival, they spoke with Rowland and his wife. They asked Michael to step outside. During a safety pat down, an unloaded 38 Smith & Wesson hand gun was found on Michael and he removed four live rounds and one spent round from his pocket and turned them over to the officer.
After receiving consent to search, other officers inside the home noticed a small box wrapped in duct tape lying on the kitchen floor. They pulled back the tape and discovered it was a Marlboro cigarette box. Inside the box was a plastic bag containing approximately 1.6 ounces of a crystal like substance that tested positive for Methamphetamine. Also on the living room floor were two more handguns.
Rowland is a convicted felon out of Ohio.
39 year old Crystal King entered a plea by criminal information to possession of drug paraphernalia and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days on supervised probation. The term is to run consecutive to her current DeKalb County probation.
33 year old Jason Knowles entered a plea to driving on a suspended license and received six months supervised probation
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