Grand jury indicts Walker on multiple felonies
By
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The Highland County Press
An indictment has been filed by the Highland County Prosecutor's Office against Highland County resident Ryan Walker for breaking and entering, theft and possessing criminal tools, all felonies of the fifth degree.
The grand jurors of Highland County, in the name and by the authority of the State of Ohio, found and presented that:
On or about July 12, 2011 in Highland County, Walker did by force, stealth or deception trespass in a business, an unoccupied structure, with purpose to commit therein, a theft offense as defined in O.R.C. 2913.01 or a felony, in violation of 2911.13(A) O.R.C. and against the peace and dignity of the state of Ohio.
Walker did with purpose to deprive Dr. Ralph Williams and Dr. Leah McConnaughey, the owners, of their property, to wit: several pairs of Nike sunglasses, several pairs of Rec-Specs athletic frames, $479 in cash, computer data back-up tapes, did knowingly obtain or exert control over said property without the consent of Dr. Ralph Williams and Dr. Leah McConnaughey, the owners or persons authorized to give consent, said property being valued at greater than $500 but less than $5,000, in violation of 2913.02(A)(1)O.R.C. and against the peace and dignity of the state of Ohio.
Walker did possess or have under his control a device with the purpose of using it criminally in the commission of a felony, to wit: ladder, police scanner/radio, in violation of 2923.24(A)O.R.C.
In September, Drs. Williams and McConnaughey wrote to Hillsboro Police Chief Nick Thompson and Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins to ask where the investigation stood after more than two months. The doctors said they have suffered a "large monetary loss, in excess of $10,000; damage to our office, loss of online production, and the humiliation of being the victim of a crime."
When asked about the doctors' inquiry in late October, Chief Thompson said, "It would be detrimental for me to give anything out on this before all the evidence is in. It's not going away. The intention of the Hillsboro Police Department is to do a proper investigation and present the evidence we have to Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins to go before a grand jury. There are no deals on the table. In fact, a member of the young man's family told me, 'No holds barred,' do what you have to do.'"
The doctors had alleged that "evidence, items taken from our office, was found in a Highland County sheriff's deputy's car. His car was stuck at Producers Stockyards (close to the optometrists' office)."
The doctors further alleged that a "person related to the deputy sheriff had six sutures in his hand at Highland District Hospital."
According to a July 12 report by the HPD, written by Sgt. Greg Barr, "Unusual circumstances led a Hillsboro area citizen to observe a suspicious vehicle at the Producers Stockyards on West Main Street in Hillsboro. That citizen reported to the Hillsboro Police Department his observations, which were reported to the Highland County Sheriff's Office. Officers from both departments responded to the area. That vehicle was reported stolen a short time later [and a separate report was filed]. Evidence was later recovered by the Highland County Sheriff's Office of a breaking and entering. The breaking and entering was found to be at the office of Ralph E. Williams, OD, and Leah McConnaughey, OD, optometrists at 934 West Main Street. A window had been broken to gain entry. Money, eyewear, and accessories, as well as computer equipment, were taken."
The incident, according to the report, took place between 2 a.m. and 5:17 a.m. The report time is listed as 6:56 a.m.
A second police report, dated July 12 by Officer Todd Whited, states that, "On July 12, 2011, at approximately (5:12 a.m.) the police department received a call of a suspicious vehicle behind a business on West Main Street. The vehicle (a green 1994 Ford Explorer) was found to be stolen."
Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward called the Highland County Press to discuss the case on Oct. 28 and said the police department's person of interest is Ryan Walker, 25, of Hillsboro, the son of HCSO Deputy Donnie Walker.
On the night of the break-in, Ward said his office received a call of a suspicious vehicle near Producers Stockyards on West Main Street.
"Steve Alexander (of the HCSO) called it in. The car came back to either Donnie or his wife. Steve called Donnie and asked if his car had been stolen. Donnie said 'My son, Ryan, has it.'
"Donnie comes up to get it, and at that point, they hadn't found that the business (was) broken into yet," Ward said.
After getting the car, Ward said "Donnie starts finding stuff in the car and calls the office (HCSO) and says, 'Get Steve back down here.' Steve goes to Donnie's house, they call the police department, and they find that the doctors' office was broken into. Ryan was AWOL until 5 o'clock that evening."
"He deserves to be charged," Ward said.
"But for it to be alleged that there's been any interfering (by law enforcement) is just bull… I understand they had Ryan in for an interview, but he refused to answer questions. I have never talked to anybody from the police department on this case. Without any hesitation, I assure you our office has not and will not interfere with this," Ward said.[[In-content Ad]]
An indictment has been filed by the Highland County Prosecutor's Office against Highland County resident Ryan Walker for breaking and entering, theft and possessing criminal tools, all felonies of the fifth degree.
The grand jurors of Highland County, in the name and by the authority of the State of Ohio, found and presented that:
On or about July 12, 2011 in Highland County, Walker did by force, stealth or deception trespass in a business, an unoccupied structure, with purpose to commit therein, a theft offense as defined in O.R.C. 2913.01 or a felony, in violation of 2911.13(A) O.R.C. and against the peace and dignity of the state of Ohio.
Walker did with purpose to deprive Dr. Ralph Williams and Dr. Leah McConnaughey, the owners, of their property, to wit: several pairs of Nike sunglasses, several pairs of Rec-Specs athletic frames, $479 in cash, computer data back-up tapes, did knowingly obtain or exert control over said property without the consent of Dr. Ralph Williams and Dr. Leah McConnaughey, the owners or persons authorized to give consent, said property being valued at greater than $500 but less than $5,000, in violation of 2913.02(A)(1)O.R.C. and against the peace and dignity of the state of Ohio.
Walker did possess or have under his control a device with the purpose of using it criminally in the commission of a felony, to wit: ladder, police scanner/radio, in violation of 2923.24(A)O.R.C.
In September, Drs. Williams and McConnaughey wrote to Hillsboro Police Chief Nick Thompson and Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins to ask where the investigation stood after more than two months. The doctors said they have suffered a "large monetary loss, in excess of $10,000; damage to our office, loss of online production, and the humiliation of being the victim of a crime."
When asked about the doctors' inquiry in late October, Chief Thompson said, "It would be detrimental for me to give anything out on this before all the evidence is in. It's not going away. The intention of the Hillsboro Police Department is to do a proper investigation and present the evidence we have to Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins to go before a grand jury. There are no deals on the table. In fact, a member of the young man's family told me, 'No holds barred,' do what you have to do.'"
The doctors had alleged that "evidence, items taken from our office, was found in a Highland County sheriff's deputy's car. His car was stuck at Producers Stockyards (close to the optometrists' office)."
The doctors further alleged that a "person related to the deputy sheriff had six sutures in his hand at Highland District Hospital."
According to a July 12 report by the HPD, written by Sgt. Greg Barr, "Unusual circumstances led a Hillsboro area citizen to observe a suspicious vehicle at the Producers Stockyards on West Main Street in Hillsboro. That citizen reported to the Hillsboro Police Department his observations, which were reported to the Highland County Sheriff's Office. Officers from both departments responded to the area. That vehicle was reported stolen a short time later [and a separate report was filed]. Evidence was later recovered by the Highland County Sheriff's Office of a breaking and entering. The breaking and entering was found to be at the office of Ralph E. Williams, OD, and Leah McConnaughey, OD, optometrists at 934 West Main Street. A window had been broken to gain entry. Money, eyewear, and accessories, as well as computer equipment, were taken."
The incident, according to the report, took place between 2 a.m. and 5:17 a.m. The report time is listed as 6:56 a.m.
A second police report, dated July 12 by Officer Todd Whited, states that, "On July 12, 2011, at approximately (5:12 a.m.) the police department received a call of a suspicious vehicle behind a business on West Main Street. The vehicle (a green 1994 Ford Explorer) was found to be stolen."
Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward called the Highland County Press to discuss the case on Oct. 28 and said the police department's person of interest is Ryan Walker, 25, of Hillsboro, the son of HCSO Deputy Donnie Walker.
On the night of the break-in, Ward said his office received a call of a suspicious vehicle near Producers Stockyards on West Main Street.
"Steve Alexander (of the HCSO) called it in. The car came back to either Donnie or his wife. Steve called Donnie and asked if his car had been stolen. Donnie said 'My son, Ryan, has it.'
"Donnie comes up to get it, and at that point, they hadn't found that the business (was) broken into yet," Ward said.
After getting the car, Ward said "Donnie starts finding stuff in the car and calls the office (HCSO) and says, 'Get Steve back down here.' Steve goes to Donnie's house, they call the police department, and they find that the doctors' office was broken into. Ryan was AWOL until 5 o'clock that evening."
"He deserves to be charged," Ward said.
"But for it to be alleged that there's been any interfering (by law enforcement) is just bull… I understand they had Ryan in for an interview, but he refused to answer questions. I have never talked to anybody from the police department on this case. Without any hesitation, I assure you our office has not and will not interfere with this," Ward said.[[In-content Ad]]