Theft ring suspect is granted bond

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A Sylvania man whose 2012 conviction in a theft ring case was overturned last month has been granted bond
by a Wood County judge.
Herbie Betz, 43, appeared in the courtroom of Judge Robert Pollex Tuesday.
Bond was set at $50,000, no 10 percent allowed.
Betz has served 20 months of an eight-year sentence after his conviction on eight felony counts,
including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, money laundering, illegal use of food stamps, and
receiving stolen property.
His wife, Michele, 45, was sentenced to five years in prison, and his mother, Thelma Fowler, 71, was
sentenced to eight years. The three were judged to be ring leaders of a crime ring which reportedly
operated in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana, and involved 70 individuals.
The Ohio Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Betz’s conviction after they judged that a mistrial
should have been granted to him. Two jurors stated they had felt intimidated by actions they reportedly
observed taken by two of Betz’s family members during a recess in his trial. However, they were
permitted to deliberate on the case and come to a verdict.
The Sixth Circuit said that Pollex, who was the trial judge, failed "to ensure that the trial was
fair and impartial" due to the incident.
Betz was incarcerated in the Noble Correctional Institution in Caldwell, but had since been moved to the
Wood County jail.
A determination in whether a new trial will be scheduled in the case has not yet been made. A further
hearing is scheduled for Feb. 21 at 8:45 a.m.

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