Smallwood pleads guilty to vandalizing justice center

A Highland County man was sentenced to four years in prison Monday after he pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property and selling it as scrap metal and to vandalizing the Highland County Justice Center while he was in custody. 

Kyle Smallwood was arrested in June after he allegedly stole a metal grain cart, a generator, a Caterpillar trailer and other items from five individuals who live in Highland County. On Monday, he pleaded guilty to a bill of information on charges including five counts of receiving stolen property, felonies of the fifth degree, and vandalism. 

According to Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins, when a defendant pleads guilty to a bill of information, they give up the right to have the case taken before a grand jury for indictment. 

"When a defendant pleads guilty to a bill of information, they are ready to take responsibility for what they did," Collins said. 

A benefit to the bill of information, Collins said, is that it saves the county the expense of a trial, and saves the victims from having to go through a trial process. 

While Smallwood was being held in the justice center, Collins said that he vandalized lighting and a sprinkler. 

"Kyle kind of went on a spree," Collins said. "He stole several things from several different people and was trying to junk them for money. When he finally got caught, he tore up some fixtures at the jail, which is a felony because the justice center is owned by a government agency." 

Collins said law enforcement investigated the scrap yard where the items were "junked" but that no charges were filed. 

Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss sentenced Smallwood to 48 months in prison. 

"We're very happy that he got time in prison for each of the victims," Collins said.