Staff Reports
CIRCLEVILLE – An Orient man is awaiting sentencing in Pickaway County Common Pleas Court after a jury found him guilty of theft and intimidation of a witness last week.
Charles Gilliam II, 20, of Graham Drive, Orient, was convicted on charges that he stole items belonging to Gale A. Gray and Patrick Devereaux of Park Drive, Orient, including credit cards and checks, on Sept. 9, 2014.
He was acquitted, however, on the charge of burglarizing the Gray/Devereaux residence on the same date.
In addition, the jury found Gilliam guilty of intimidating the state’s witness, Mandy Clayton, while the theft and burglary cases were pending. Evidence presented at trial showed Gilliam confronted Clayton at the Ameristop gas station on U.S. Route 62 on Feb. 27, calling her a “snitch” and a “rat” and threatening to have her beaten up.
Clayton, the mother of Gilliam’s ex-girlfriend, testified against him at the two-day trial concerning statements Gilliam made to her concerning the burglary and theft crimes.
The State of Ohio was represented by Heather MJ Armstrong, assistant Pickaway County Prosecutor, who called nine witnesses to testify at trial. Gilliam was represented by attorney James R. Kingsley, who called four witnesses for the defense.
The jury deliberated about three hours before reaching its verdicts late Friday evening, May 15.
Judge P. Randall Knece ordered Gilliam taken into custody after the trial, and he will remain in the Pickaway County Jail pending the results of a pre-sentence investigation by the court.
This article originally appeared on The Pickaway News Journal
