Defiance County grand jury returns indictments against 12 defendants

A Defiance County grand jury has returned indictments against 12 persons, according to Prosecutor Morris Murray’s office.

Indicted were:

• Christopher Davis, 33, 534 Degler St., for 10 counts of rape, each a first-degree felony. Authorities allege that from Jan. 1-Aug. 31, 2021, he engaged in sexual conduct with a female juvenile under the age of 13 on multiple occasions.

• Nicholas Gebers, 18, 410 Summit St., for pandering sexually-oriented matter involving a minor or impaired person, a second-degree felony; and interference with custody, a fifth-degree felony. Authorities allege that on May 19 he created, reproduced, or published material showing a minor participating or engaging in sexual activity; and on May 22, he transported a juvenile from Defiance to Michigan without privilege to do so.

• Ashley Cole, 34, 1461 Mustang Drive, for failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony; vandalism, a fifth-degree felony; and OVI, a first-degree misdemeanor. Authorities allege that on May 24 on Evansport Road, she operated a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, and fled from a law enforcement officer’s attempted traffic stop, creating a substantial risk of serious physical harm to persons or property in the area. The indictment further alleges that once Cole was stopped and taken into custody, she caused damage to a Defiance County Sheriff’s Office cruiser.

• Christine Schappert, 43, 1660 Twin Drive, for tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony. Authorities allege that on May 18 she possessed a device filled with an unknown liquid, which she used to try to avoid testing positive during a drug screen conducted by her probation officer.

• Bobby Hunt, 41, 1380 Ayersville Ave., for failure to appear as required by recognizance, a fourth-degree felony. Authorities allege that on May 22 Hunt failed to appear for a hearing in Defiance County Common Pleas Court after having been released on a personal-recognizance bond.

• David Mendieta, 61, Hicksville, for failure to appear as required by recognizance, a fourth-degree felony. Authorities allege that on June 3 he failed to appear for a hearing in Defiance County Common Pleas Court after having been released on a personal-recognizance bond.

• Cheryl Miller, 43, 508 Nicholas St., for strangulation, a fourth-degree felony; and endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor. Authorities allege that on May 2 she caused, or created, a substantial risk of physical harm to a family or household member by means of strangulation or suffocation, and also created a substantial risk to the health or safety of a child under her care.

• Aidan Mitchell, 19, Altoona, Pa., for menacing by stalking, a fourth-degree felony. The charge alleges that on Jan. 22 he engaged in a pattern of conduct, with a sexual motivation, that caused a juvenile to believe that he would cause that person or their family physical harm and/or mental distress.

• Kristi Farquhar, 53, 14487 Power Dam Road, for aggravated possession of drugs (methamphetamine), a fifth-degree felony; and failure to appear as required by recognizance, a fourth-degree felony. The charges allege that on May 28 she failed to appear for a hearing in Defiance County Common Pleas Court after having been released on a personal-recognizance bond.

• Rhiannon French, 41, 13536 Fullmer Road, for aggravated possession of drugs (methamphetamine), a fifth-degree felony.

• Richard Parsons, 27, 310 E. Second St., for possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony.

• Bradley Moser, 19, Bryan, for using weapons while intoxicated and OVI, each a first-degree misdemeanor. The charges allege that on Feb. 14 on Defiance’s North Clinton Street he knowingly carried a firearm while operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.