A former Weston man currently in prison has been indicted for abusing a corpse.
A Wood County grand jury on Feb. 1 indicted James Robert Kern, 45, who is incarcerated at London Correctional Institute, for two counts of gross abuse of a corpse, second-degree misdemeanors; tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony; and possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony.
On May 24, Kren allegedly twice treated a human corpse in a way that would outrage reasonable community sensibilities.
According to the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office, Kern allegedly took steps to make it look like a woman had died more recently than she actually had.
The woman may have died from a drug overdose. The alleged incident occurred in Weston.
On that same day, Kern also allegedly destroyed or concealed documents in order to impair their value as evidence while knowing an official proceeding or investigation was in progress.
Also on May 24, he was found in possession what law enforcement alleged was a fentanyl-related compound.
The grand jury also indicted the following individuals:
• Arzell Melvin Bonner Jr., 52, Cincinnati, for failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony. On Dec. 15, he allegedly fled police after receiving a visible or audible signal to stop.
• Timothy Paul Morgan, 42, Woodville, for two counts domestic violence, both fourth-degree felonies; attempt to commit an offense, a third-degree felony; and endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor. On Jan. 1 on Fremont Pike in Perrysburg, Morgan allegedly got angry with a passenger in his vehicle and began to drive erratically. He parked and when the allegedly victim got out of the car, he came up behind her and allegedly began choking her. She and three children walked into the store while Morgan continued yelling at her. They were there for about an hour when he returned and apologized. They left together.
The next morning at a home in Walbridge, the victim told police she was lying in bed when Morgan entered the room screaming at her and holding her down. He exited the room and then came back holding a knife in his hand. He allegedly threatened to kill her. He left the home and she called 911.
He previously had pleaded guilty to domestic violence in 2014 in Oregon Municipal Court.
• Kenneth J. Bagg, 31, of Haskins and currently in jail, for two counts felonious assault, both second-degree felonies; and domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor. On May 4, he allegedly caused serious physical harm to a family or household member while using a knife.
• Jeffery Lee Ankenbrandt, 33, currently in jail, for domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony. On Jan. 14, he allegedly caused or attempted to cause physical harm to a family or household member. He previously had pleaded guilty to domestic violence in 2017 in Perrysburg Municipal Court.
• Edward L. Coup, 34, Findlay, for failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony. On Jan. 10 at 10:30 p.m. on Interstate 75 in Rossford, a Rossford police officer clocked a 2011 Dodge Durango at 86 mph in a 65 mph zone. When he activated his lights, the vehicle accelerated to 120 mph. As they entered the construction zone near Wales Road, they were going 100 mph. At mile marker 200, the Durango was cut off by a tractor trailer, lost control and struck a concrete barrier.
• Karey Javon Morgan, 32, Bucyrus, for telecommunications harassment, a fifth-degree felony. From Dec. 15-28, Morgan allegedly posted a text or image on an internet website for the purpose of abusing, threatening or harassing another person. He has been convicted of telecommunication harassment in 2013 in Richfield County.
• Janay Terrell Rowser, 35, Decatur, Georgia, for forgery, a fifth-degree felony; receiving stolen property, a fifth-degree felony; and attempted theft from a person in a protected class, a fifth-degree felony. On Jan. 25, Rowser allegedly received and forged a stolen check for $1,997 without authority. The alleged victim was an elderly person.
• Dillion Winland, 19, Fostoria, for grand theft of a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony; failure to stop after an accident, a first-degree misdemeanor; and petty theft, a first-degree misdemeanor. On Jan. 11, Fostoria police responded to a hit-skip crash on Columbus Avenue. The striking vehicle was identified as a 2022 Kia Sportage, which was reportedly found to belong to Enterprise. No one was found in the vehicle. That same evening, several males were breaking into vehicles. One juvenile was taken into custody and he told police prior to breaking into the vehicles, he had received a call from Winland, who stated he had stolen a vehicle. The vehicle was reported missing the next day. Winland admitted to stealing the vehicle.
• Alex Wilkings, 24, Findlay, for trespass in a habitation when a person is present or likely to be present, a fourth-degree felony; and vandalism, a fifth-degree felony. On Dec. 17, he allegedly caused damage to an occupied structure after entering the property by force or deception when any person was present or likely to be present.
The grand jury indicted seven individuals for drug offenses, including:
• Co-defendants Adam Ray Ward, 30, and Julie Little, 34, both of Fostoria, for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony; and petty theft, a first-degree misdemeanor. On Aug. 31, they allegedly removed Ring doorbells from Home Depot without paying and were found in possession of methamphetamine.
• Amanda C. Abaya, 32, Toledo, for aggravated possession of drugs and aggravated trafficking in drugs, both second-degree felonies, and trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound and possession of a fentanyl-related compound, both fourth-degree felonies. On April 9, she allegedly was found in possession of and preparing for distribution methamphetamine exceeding five times the bulk amount as well as between 1 and 5 grams of a fentanyl-related compound.
• Martell Donta-Cornelius Grant, 31, Columbus, for trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound and possession of a fentanyl-related compound, both second-degree felonies. On Sept. 24, 2021, he allegedly was found in possession of and preparing for distribution between 10 and 20 grams of a fentanyl-related compound.
• Courtney Rose Johnson, 33, Charlotte, Michigan, for aggravated possession of drugs, a second-degree felony. On June 29, she was found in possession of what was allegedly methamphetamine in an amount five times the bulk amount.
A warrant has been issued for her arrest.
• Jason G. McConnaughhay, 37, Newcomb, Tennessee, for trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound and possession of a fentanyl-related compound, both first-degree felonies. On Aug. 11, he allegedly was found in possession of and was preparing for distribution more than 50 grams of a fentanyl-related compound.
• Santos James Arriaga, 21, Toledo, for receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony, and aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. On Sept. 3, he is accused of receiving or disposing of a 9 mm Sig Sauer p320 handgun while having reasonable cause to believe the gun was stolen. He also was allegedly found in possession of cocaine.
His co-defendant Rohnjanay John Lynch, 23, Toledo, was indicted for improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony. On Sept. 3, he allegedly knowingly transported a loaded .380 Glock 42 in a motor vehicle in a manner that it was accessible to the operator or passenger without leaving the vehicle.
