Abduction suspect faces more charges

DOTSON
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A Plain City man who allegedly abducted his girlfriend is now facing additional charges after allegedly failing to show up for court.
Joshua Cain Dotson, 38, 7015 Kile Road, Plain City, has been indicted for failure to appear as required by recognizance. Dotson was already under indictment, charged with two counts of abduction and one count of unlawful restraint.
According to court documents, Dotson was arraigned on the abduction charges. He appeared in court and was released on his own recognizance.
When Dotson allegedly failed to show up for a July 2017 hearing, the judge revoked his bond and vacated an August 2017 trial date.
In February, Dotson was located and arrested by U.S. Marshals.
Dotson was originally arrested in the early morning hours of Dec. 7, 2016. Deputies responded to an emergency call in the 21000 block of Middleburg-Plain City Road. When they arrived, they found a woman. According to court documents, the deputy said “there was a large amount of blood on the left side of her face and on her shirt and that she was visibly upset.”
The woman allegedly told the deputy she was in an argument with Dotson. She said she told Dotson she didn’t want to be with him anymore and wanted him to take her home.
“She indicated that she received the injuries to her face after the defendant punched her,” according to court documents.
The woman was taken to the hospital where she told police that Dotson is very controlling and “manipulative.”
She told investigators that Dotson refused to let her out of the car and said he was taking her to his motel in Columbus. She said Dotson would slow down and allow her to try to open the door, and then speed up again so she couldn’t get out. She said he would not let her out of the car. She said she tried to jump from the car. She said Dotson held onto the woman to keep her from jumping.
Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips said it is not unusual for a defendant like Dotson to be released on his own recognizance. He explained that during the legal process, defendants can be kept in jail, released on bond or released on their own recognizance. He said a bond is money that would be forfeited if the defendant doe not come back for all required court appearances. He said when someone is released on their own recognizance, it is “basically a promise to come back.”
Phillips said he doesn’t often ask for a defendant to be held in jail through the legal process.
“We try not to do that because you are not convicted of anything yet,” Phillips said.
Additionally, Phillips said there is an expense to the taxpayers associated with housing people at the jail.
He said the exceptions are people he fears will hurt someone or who will flee.
“The system doesn’t work if people abscond,” Phillips said.
He said that’s why legislators have made failure to appear on a felony charge, a new additional felony.
If convicted on the original charges, Dotson could face as many as five years in prison. If convicted of the additional failure to appear charge, he could serve an additional 18 months in prison.
Also indicted was:
– Sarah Marie Fuson, 37, of 836 Collins Avenue, Marysville. Fuson is charged with one count each of aggravated possession of drugs, possession of heroin and possession of marijuana.
According to court documents, on November 3, a trooper from the Ohio State Highway Patrol stopped Fuson on U.S. 33.
When the trooper approached the vehicle, “both the driver and the passenger had signs of drug abuse,” Phillips said.
The prosecutor said the trooper spoke with the driver and the passenger. He said they admitted there was marijuana in the car. He said the trooper asked for a dog to search the car. When the dog indicated there were drugs, investigators had probable cause to search the vehicle.
Phillips said the trooper found a pipe, heroin, meth and marijuana.
The prosecutor said the use of multiple drugs is “not uncommon.”
“Poly-drug use is on the rise,” Phillips said. “They can counteract each other a bit.”
He explained that heroin is a depressant and meth is a stimulant. He said addicts like the high, but do not want to be too excited or too depressed.
“People will use meth to get them up and heroin to bring them down and meth to bring them up again,” Phillips said.
If convicted on all charges, Fuson could face more than 24 months in prison.
– Lisa M Deberry, 56, of Loraine. Deberry is charged with one count of telecommunications harassment. According to court documents, Deberry repeatedly called the new girlfriend of a former boyfriend. Deberry allegedly also called the woman’s job.
She would allegedly cursed and threaten the woman. Phillips said sometimes the woman wouldn’t identify herself or say anything.
The man said he and Deberry had dated for a couple months more than a year ago.
The prosecutor said a situation becomes harassment if the recipient asks you not to call back, the caller hangs up or won’t identify themselves, intimidates threatens or abuses, or suggests sexual activity.
“This kind of behavior can be very disturbing and very threatening when someone is obsessed and keeps calling and keeps hanging up,” Phillips said.
Typically, telecommunications harassment is charged as a misdemeanor. However, after a conviction, future allegations are charged as felonies. In 2010, Deberry was convicted of telephone harassment in Cuyahoga County.
If convicted, Deberry could face as many as 12 months in prison.
– Dakota James Kelly, 20, of 1510 Patricia Drive, Marysville. Kelly is charged with one count of trafficking in marijuana, stemming from an April 5 incident. If convicted, Kelly could face as many as 12 months in prison.