2 Hillsboro men indicted on rape, GSI charges in October grand jury session

Two Hillsboro men were charged with rape and gross sexual imposition during the Tuesday, Oct. 6 session of the Highland County grand jury.

Both indictments involve multiple victims, all of whom are alleged to have been children at the time of the alleged offenses. 

Ronald L. Humphrey III, 36, was charged with five counts of rape, all first-degree felonies; and three counts of gross sexual imposition, all third-degree felonies. 

The rape charges are for an alleged four-month period for one victim; an alleged one-year period and 10-month period for a second victim; and an alleged one-year period and 10-month period for a third victim. 

There is a gross sexual imposition charge for each of the three alleged victims.

In a separate indictment, Matthew C. Brannan, 30, was charged with four counts of rape, all first-degree felonies; and three counts of gross sexual imposition, all third-degree felonies.

The rape charges include an alleged 12-month time frame and a 10-month time frame for one victim, along with an alleged 12-month time frame and a 10-month time frame for a second victim. 

The gross sexual imposition charges are for three separate victims.

There were also indictments handed down against 17 other individuals:

• Michael Campanaro Sr., 49, of Hillsboro was charged with one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a second-degree felony; one count of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony; and one count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony. 

It is alleged that on or about Aug. 19, Campanaro “did knowingly obtain, possess or use” meth “in an amount equal to or exceeding five times bulk amount but less than 50 times bulk amount.” On the same date, he is accused of “operating a motor vehicle … so as willfully to elude or flee a police officer after receiving a visible or audible signal from a police officer to bring [his] motor vehicle to a stop and the operation of the motor vehicle by [Campanaro] caused a substantial risk of serious physical harm to persons or property.” 

Also on Aug. 19, Campanaro is accused of “altering, destroying, concealing or removing a thing with the purpose to impair its value or availability as evidence in [a] proceeding or investigation.”

• Herbert L. Phillips, 61, of Hillsboro was charged with one count each of tampering with evidence and aggravated possession of methamphetamine, both third-degree felonies.

It is alleged that on or about May 10, Phillips “did knowingly obtain, possess or use” meth “in an amount equal to or exceeding bulk amount but less than five times bulk amount.” On the same date, it is alleged that Phillips “did alter, destroy, conceal or remove a thing with the purpose to impair its value or availability as evidence in [a] proceeding or investigation.”

• Andrew D. Johnson, 41, of Greenfield was charged with one count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony; and one count of possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony.

• Johnny R. Lawson, 47, of Hillsboro was charged with one count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony, and one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony.

• In a joint indictment, Cecil Arnold, 22, and Leon Brown Harris, 23, both of Miami, Fla. were charged with one count of aggravated theft from a person in a protected class by deception, a third-degree felony. It is alleged that on or about Nov. 26-Nov. 27, 2025, Arnold and Brown-Harris “did knowingly obtain or exert control over … approximately $19,000 by deception” from elderly victims in Highland County.

• Lucas R. Duncan, 38, of Hillsboro was charged with one count of failure to register a change of address as a registered sex offender, a third-degree felony.

• Trey A. Sievertsen, 37, of Hillsboro was charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a third-degree felony.

• Lori K. Mulligan, 46, of Hillsboro was charged with one count of breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony; one count of grand theft of a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony; and one count of theft, a first-degree misdemeanor.

It is alleged that on or about Sept. 7, Mulligan “did by force, stealth or deception knowingly trespass in a barn with purpose to commit therein a theft offense.” For the felony theft charge, she is accused of “knowingly obtaining or exerting control over” a 2002 Saturn from one victim. The misdemeanor charge alleges that Mulligan “knowingly obtained or exerted control over … tools, [a] television, Bluetooth speaker, miter saw, nail gun and other miscellaneous items” from a different victim.

• Dana M. Baldwin, 49, of Hillsboro was charged with possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony.

• Marshall C. Heiss, 44, of Greenfield was charged with one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony. 

• Steven Knedler Jr., 44, of Greenfield was charged with one count of possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony.

• George McKinney, 67, of Wilmington was charged with one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony. 

• Sarah B. Schwalbauch, 38, of Hillsboro was charged with one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony. 

• Brenda A. Steinmetz, 35, of Hillsboro was charged with one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony. 

• Dana A. Turner, 52, of Greenfield was charged with one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony. 

• Kelton D. Williams, 31, of South Salem was charged with one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony. 

An indictment is merely a charge and is not evidence of guilt.