Circleville, OH — The Pickaway County Common Pleas Court, under Judge Matthew H. Chafin, presided over a robust docket on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, reflecting a wide range of legal challenges faced by the local community—from drug-related offenses to fraud and violent crimes.
Among the more notable cases was Elisa K. Leasure, 51, who appeared on two former aggravated possession of drug charges. Leasure was granted judicial release under strict conditions, including employment requirements, curfews, and compliance with probation programs. Leasure was sentenced to four to six years in 2023; she has served two of those and will serve the rest on a probation program.
Another individual, Jennifer Buckler, 42, faced serious charges including Medicaid eligibility fraud and grand theft. She has been sentenced to the STAR rehabilitation program, and extended probation.
The court also addressed cases involving illegal drug conveyance into detention facilities, with defendant Heidi R. Hammers, 46, receiving conditional judicial release. In matters of public safety, 45-year-old Jeffrey A. Coffey pled guilty to inducing panic and received a prison sentence.
Cases involving weapon offenses and assault also populated the docket. Levi G. Kamber, 22, pled not guilty to felonious assault and possessing a weapon while under disability, receiving bond with conditions. Clifford W. Browning II, 52, similarly faced assault charges that he peld not guilty to at this time and received with bond imposed.
Financial crimes and theft were tackled with seriousness, as in the case of Joseph Adkins, 29, charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle and standard theft; he plead not guilty was granted bond with restrictions against interstate travel. Christopher T. Fout, 39, denied guilt to breaking and entering, safecracking, and theft, also resulting in bond conditions.
The proceedings displayed the court’s ongoing commitment to addressing a broad spectrum of criminal behavior, balancing rehabilitation programs like STAR with prison sentences and conditional releases. As the docket reflected, judicial discretion was used to guide outcomes that both protect the public and offer structured paths for recovery.
