Three assailants convicted in violent assault case; a fourth has reportedly reached a plea agreement
NEW PHILADELPHIA – Three of the four assailants in a violent attack that happened in New Philadelphia back in August have been found guilty for their roles in the assault. The fourth is likely to plead guilty after cooperating with prosecutors in the other cases.
Juries found Christopher Beatty of New Philadelphia and Jared Soltero of Minerva guilty of aggravated burglary and felonious assault.
Beatty was sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison but is appealing.
Soltero will be sentenced July 15.
Todd Riordan of Massillon pleaded guilty to felonious assault and cooperated with prosecutors. He was sentenced to three to four and a half years in prison.
Prosecuting Attorney Lacee Felix says the fourth defendant, Henry Wellman, also cooperated with prosecutors and is expected to plead guilty to a bill of information, waving a grand jury indictment. So far, the sentences are exactly what the prosecutors recommended.
“We take home invasions and violent crimes very seriously,” she said. “Of course, we are grateful to the victims for courageously enduring two trials now. We’re grateful we don’t have to put them through that a third of a fourth time. And of course thankful for the New Philadelphia Police Department for a good and thorough investigation.”
New Philadelphia Police said the four men had been drinking and went to the victim’s house and assaulted him, leaving him with multiple facial fractures and other injuries requiring surgeries. Police said the men were co-workers and one knew the victim.
“We had six oil workers who went out for a liquid lunch,” Felix said. “They ended up at the home… broke in uninvited, committed an assault to the husband in the home, which the wife witnessed. All four individuals took some part. There were two who did not.”
Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court Judge Elizabeth Thomakos sentenced Riordan on Monday. A jury found Soltero guilty the next day.
Beatty was found guilty in March. He filed a notice of appeal with the Fifth District Court of Appeals a week later.