Trial continued in Highland County child porn case

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The trial of a man indicted on multiple child pornography charges was continued to November in Highland County Common Pleas Court.

Seth Parshall, 29, Wilmington, is charged with three counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor, a fourth-degree felony, and eight counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance, a fifth-degree felony.

As reported by The Times-Gazette, Parshall was indicted in June by a Highland County Grand Jury on the charges after Google alerted local law enforcement to obscene content contained in files allegedly downloaded by Parshall in May 2014.

According to a bill of particulars filed in the case, Parshall allegedly visited a chat room on the internet at the time, and during Skype conversations expressed interest in images of young boys age 8 and up.

Parshall then allegedly downloaded multiple files he was sent containing images of young boys engaging in sexual activity, the bill states.

Parshall admitted he downloaded the files to his Google Drive account, looked at the pictures, then deleted them the following day, according to the bill.

Discovery documents in the case indicate several witnesses will be called to the stand, including officers from the Bureau of Criminal Investigations in London, Ohio, Det. Sgt. Randy Sanders of the Highland County Sheriff’s Office, Angelo Christian Nono, a Google legal investigations support person and Caroline Wathey, a civilian analyst. Documents show Justin Root of Dickinson Wright in Columbus is listed as an expert witness.

Parshall is represented by defense attorney Bruce Wallace. The trial, originally slated for Aug. 24, was moved to Nov. 6 at 8 a.m. following a motion to continue filed this week by Wallace. The next hearing in the case will be held Sept. 27 at 2 p.m.

In another matter on Wednesday, a man representing himself in court is set to go to trial Aug. 21 after his attorney requested to be removed from the case.

As reported by The Times-Gazette July 6, defense attorney Richard Furnish asked the court twice to remove him from the case to which he was appointed, citing the defendant’s “disrespect” as his primary complaint.

Common pleas judge Rocky Coss denied the request the first time, but after some discussion in the judge’s chambers, Furnish asked again and his request was approved.

Furnish said Jody Watson, 38, Greenfield, was uncooperative and disrespectful, and Watson said he didn’t feel Furnish was doing a good job.

“I’ve been disrespected by him several times,” Furnish said during the July hearing, adding that Watson hung up on him during a prior phone call.

Watson said he would like to represent himself.

“I just don’t feel like he’s doing a good job,” Watson told the judge.

Coss said he would “reluctantly” allow Watson to represent himself, but not before saying he had never expected the two to have a good relationship.

“You’re not entitled to have an attorney you like,” Coss said to Watson. “I don’t expect you two to be friends or go out to dinner.”

Coss said he suspected the actual problem was that Furnish was telling Watson the truth and Watson didn’t want to hear it.

Watson is charged with illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of methamphetamine, a third-degree felony; and, in a separate case, is charged with failure to appear. Watson will represent himself in both cases, with the first case set for trial Aug. 21.

Defense attorney Denny Kirk was appointed to serve as Watson’s legal counsel, but will not speak for him in court.

In another hearing, Coss scolded Tammy Rube, 44, Washington Court House, charged with aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, after she told him her reason for two probation violations was that she “was busy.”

When Coss asked Rube why she failed to report to the probation office on July 13 and 20, Rube replied, “Oh, I was busy.”

Coss said that was an insufficient excuse, and said valid excuses for not reporting are limited to being “in the hospital or dead. The judge added, “I can’t believe you said that.”

At one point, as Coss was speaking, Rube interrupted, saying “Well, you didn’t let me finish.”

“Do not interrupt me,” Coss said. “Let me talk… If I get notices saying you haven’t been compliant, you’re going to see a sheriff’s deputy at your door.”

Rube requested intervention in lieu of conviction. A determination on whether she is eligible will be made at a later date, although Coss said it was doubtful she would be approved.

Also Wednesday:

• Coss ordered the arrest of Lucas Holsinger, 34, Bainbridge, who was supposed to appear in court with defense attorney Denny Kirk. Kirk said he had not heard from Holsinger, and Coss said he received a report of probation violations from July 13. Holsinger is charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine.

• Jessica Colville, 36, Hillsboro, was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated trafficking in meth, a second-degree felony.

• Gary Cook, 26, Mt. Orab, was sentenced to three years in prison in addition to a six-year sentence out of Hamilton County and a three year sentence from a Brown County crime for a total of 12 years. Cook pled guilty to burglary, a second-degree felony.

• Larry Newland, 41, Columbus, was sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty to breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony. Coss remarked to Newland that he appeared to have a lengthy criminal record, including escape, criminal mischief and vandalism charges.

“You’ve got a lot of miles on you,” Coss commented. “It’s time for you to slow down.”

• Anthony Canter, 29, Hillsboro, was sentenced to three years of community control sanctions and ordered to complete treatment at the STAR Community Justice Center after pleading guilty to unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, a fifth-degree felony, and theft from a person in a protected class, a fourth-degree felony.

• Storm Amyx, 22, Greenfield, was sentenced to three years of community control sanctions and ordered to complete a treatment program after pleading guilty to receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony.

• Timothy Collins, 55, Cynthiana, was sentenced to three years of community control sanctions and ordered to complete a treatment program after pleading guilty to having weapons under disability, a third-degree felony.

• Kandi Jones, 39, Hillsboro, was sentenced to three years of community control sanctions and ordered to complete a treatment program after pleading guilty to trafficking in drugs, a fifth-degree felony.

Reach David Wright at 937-402-2570, or on Twitter @DavidWrighter.

Seth Parshall, right, sits in Highland County Common Pleas Court with defense attorney Bruce Wallace on Wednesday.
http://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2017/08/web1_parshall-court.jpgSeth Parshall, right, sits in Highland County Common Pleas Court with defense attorney Bruce Wallace on Wednesday. David Wright | The Times-Gazette
In other case, Coss says, ‘I can’t believe you said that’

By David Wright

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