A Hillsboro woman pled guilty to one count of breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony, in Highland County Common Pleas Court after rescinding her former not guilty plea and agreeing to an intervention in lieu of conviction.
Evelyn Doughman, 41, Hillsboro, was sentenced to two years of community control.
According to court documents, Doughman originally faced two counts, one for breaking and entering and one for theft, a first-degree misdemeanor. However, the documents said that because she pled guilty to the first count, the state dismissed the second count and recommended the intervention in lieu of conviction.
According to the documents, if Doughman violates any of the conditions of the community control sanctions, she will be sentenced to 12 months in prison and ordered to pay a $2,500 fine.
According to the documents, Doughman’s drug dependence was a factor in her criminal activity and rehabilitation treatment would substantially reduce the likelihood of more criminal activity. The judgment entry also said Doughman was accepted into an appropriate certified treatment program, is not a repeat or dangerous offender, and was otherwise eligible for intervention in lieu of conviction.
According to the documents, on or around March 8, 2021, in Hillsboro, a deputy responded to a residence at 6513 Sleepy Hollow Parkway in Paint Township. When the deputy arrived at the scene, the deputy saw heavy smoke pouring out of the house. The deputy was met by a male subject that lived next door. He told the deputy that he saw a female in his driveway and then around the neighboring residence and his girlfriend told the other female to leave.
Court documents said that the witnesses noticed that the doors to the residence next door were unsecured. They said the witnesses called the person staying at the place next door and asked him if he left the doors open. A short time after they secured them they doors, they saw smoke coming from the residence and called 911.
The documents said that after the fire department arrived, a deputy left and tried to find Doughman because she matched the description given by the witnesses. The deputy later found Doughman about one block away on foot. After locating Doughman, the deputy advised Doughman of her Miranda Rights and asked if she had been around the residence at 6513 Sleepy Hollow Pkwy. Doughman said she had been inside the residence. The deputy then asked Doughman about black bags that were across the street from the Sleepy Hollow Parkway residence that Doughman was laying on. Doughman said people around the neighborhood had given her the bags. The deputy then asked Doughman if she’d be willing to return to the residence to see if any of the property in the black bags were from the residence, and she agreed to. When they returned to the residence, the deputy and Scott checked the bags.
The documents said the first item the deputy pulled from the bag was a Grateful Dead T-shirt, which one of the witnesses identified, saying he had a tattoo matching the shirt. It also said a bottle of medication prescribed to one of the witnesses’ grandfather, was also in the bag, along with other times belonging to the witnesses.
Several medical items were also found in the bags as well as a lantern which a witness said was in his garage.
Eventually, Doughman she said she had permission to be in the house and that the door would always be unlocked if she needed a place to stay. But a witness said he let Doughman into the residence once to do laundry in September of 2020, and that he hadn’t had any contact with her since then did not give her permission to be inside residence, according to the documents.
The deputy asked Doughman about being inside the residence and Doughman said she was scared due to the house being dark, and that she also said she tried to turn the lights on but they didn’t work. The deputy knew Doughman had been inside the residence, according to the documents, because there was no power there and Doughman also admitted to being in the detached garage.
Reach Jacob Clary at 937-402-2570.
