Randy L. Sellars Jr. stood mute as the common pleas court entered the pleas, documents show. Earlier this week Sellars was appointed an attorney, a surety bond of $50,000 was set and his next court date is scheduled for Sept. 12, according to court records.
UPDATE @ 4:04 p.m. (Aug. 31)
Randy Lee Sellars Jr. has been indicted in Montgomery County for two counts burglary, three counts grand theft and three counts weapons under disability.
He is set to be arraigned Sept. 5. He is currently serving a sentence for unrelated crimes.
A second person in the case, Brandon Burchett, has been indicted on a burglary charge.
EARLIER REPORT
A 30-year-old man in jail and accused of stealing guns and ammunition from a former Moraine deputy police chief has been found guilty of other charges.
Randy Lee Sellars Jr. was sentenced to nearly six months in custody Tuesday, about two weeks after being booked in Montgomery County Jail following a multi-jurisdictional manhunt that started when he escaped custody in Moraine.
RELATED: Guns, ammunition stolen from home of retired deputy chief
Sellars in late July stole guns and ammunition from the home of retired Moraine Deputy Police Chief Tracy Harpster, police in that city said Tuesday.
The defendant was booked in the county jail Aug. 6, fewer than 24 hours after be apprehended in Kettering following his escape in Moraine.
RELATED: Fugitive suspect found after escaping police
Sellars’ arrest this month followed “quite a little spree” that has drawn the interest of authorities in German Twp. and Centerville as well, said Moraine Sgt. Jon Spencer.
On Aug. 8, his bond was set at $500,000, according to court documents.
Jail records indicate felony charges of escape and burglary. The latter charge stems from the theft at Harpster’s home, where a rifle, two pistols and “several thousand” rounds of ammunition were taken, Moraine records show.
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Kettering Municipal Court Judge James Long on Tuesday sentenced Sellars to 163 days in jail and fined him $100 after finding him guilty on four misdemeanors, court records show.
“There are other agencies in the south suburbs that he is a suspect in,” current Moraine Deputy Police Chief Jason Neubauer said. “I’m anticipating more charges will be coming his way.”
Sellars initially pleaded not guilty to receiving stolen, criminal damaging/endangering, obstructing official business and criminal trespassing. But Tuesday he changed his pleas on all counts to no contest, court records show.
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