MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—As we close out 2025; Marion County Now is comprising their annual line-up of the top ten stories of the year. These stories a placed in order by the number of interactions they had on the site. We begin with number ten on our list:
10. A Marion Man Shot by Police. On April 14, after an early morning confrontation with Marion Police, 30-year-old Jared Scheck was left hospitalized with gunshot wounds.
According to a joint statement released by both agencies, the encounter began when police responded to reports of gunfire at the OK Cafe on East Center Street. After identifying Scheck as the suspect, officers proceeded to his residence. Upon their arrival, Scheck allegedly confronted the officers and opened fire, prompting a Marion police officer and a sheriff’s deputy to return fire, injuring him multiple times.
Scheck’s criminal background dates back to 2013 when he pleaded guilty to charges including third-degree sexual battery—reduced from rape—and having weapons while in detention, a fourth-degree felony reduced from a second-degree felony. As a result of this conviction, Scheck was designated as a Tier III sex offender. He served 30 months in prison.
In 2018, Scheck faced multiple assault charges, with four counts filed against him, all classified as fourth-degree felonies. Court records indicate the outcomes of these charges were mixed: Counts one and two of the indictment were dismissed, while Count four resulted in a directed verdict due to insufficient evidence. He was acquitted of Count three, which involved assault, whereas he was found guilty of a lesser-included offense related to failing to comply with a police officer’s order. Additionally, he was convicted of inducing panic. The court sentenced Scheck to two years of community service for the failure to comply charge and 120 days in jail for inducing panic, with his driving privileges suspended for six months starting April 30, 2018. Sadly Scheck died and charges against him were vacated.
9. Shortly before Thanksgiving the MARMET Drug Task Force executed nine search warrants in Marion. They seized of 1.6 kilograms of methamphetamines’ and crack/cocaine, 5 grams of fentanyl, two guns, and more than $14,425 in cash. Those arrested in the bust were Karlise Owens of Marion, Tarik Chukes-Columbus, LaShawn Mosley-Marion, Mitchell Brown-Marion, Karla Tackett-Columbus, James Jacobs-Columbus and Curtis Gartrell-Marion.
8. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office Reduced Charges Against Nevada Woman with History of OVI offenses. —In a surprising turn of events, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office dismissed two third-degree felony charges of Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence (OVI) against 66-year-old Sharon K. Stoneburner of Nevada and replaced them with a fourth-degree OVI charge. This decision came after a year of legal maneuvering and was facilitated by Delaware attorney Zach Mayo. Stoneburner’s case is particularly notable given her extensive history of felony OVI offenses. She was previously sentenced to prison in March 2018 for a fourth-degree OVI but was later granted judicial release.
In February 2024, she faced three counts of third-degree felony OVI, each carrying a maximum penalty of 36 months in prison. Court records indicate that Stoneburner was indicted by a grand jury on all three counts in May 2024, after which she posted a $10,000 bond.
In a puzzling decision, Assistant Prosecutor David Stamolis dismissed counts one and three, while amending count two to a fourth-degree felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison. Stoneburner subsequently pleaded guilty to the reduced charge.
Marion County Common Pleas Court Judge Todd Anderson then sentenced Stoneburner to 60 days in jail, along with three years of community control. The outcome of this case has raised eyebrows given Stoneburner’s previous offenses and the nature of the charges.
7. Anderson Guilty of Crimes Against Children…In April a Morrow County Common Pleas Court Jury returned verdicts of guilty against Randy Anderson.
Anderson was found guilty of two counts of gross sexual imposition, felonies of the third degree.
Anderson was found to have had sexual contact with the victim, who was five at the time of the offense, and to have done so using his authority or position as a family member on at least two occasions. Anderson is currently appealing his conviction.
6. Marion Police Successfully Located Missing Boy in Indiana…45-year-old Man Arrested… On July 10, the Marion Police Department responded to a report concerning the disappearance of 11-year-old Gavin Ostrander, an autistic child.
The police immediately called upon a range of partners to aid in the search effort. Thanks to the collaboration of these agencies, Gavin was found safe in Indiana.
Additionally, local authorities arrested Bradford Deem, 45, of Veedersburg, Indiana, in connection with the incident. The investigation is ongoing, and charges are expected to be filed in Marion County. Deem is currently waiting a competency evaluation before the trial proceeds.
5. Marion Man Receives Pleas Deal in Child Exploitation Case…David Scott Parks, a 42-year-old man from Marion accepted a plea deal from Marion Prosecutors following his indictment last July on five counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor or impaired person. Each count is a fourth degree felony and each is punishable with up to 18 months in prison. In a surprising turn of events, the Office of Marion Prosecutor Ray Grogan dismissed three of the five counts against Parks and reached a plea agreement on the remaining two charges. As part of the resolution, Parks was sentenced to four years of community control and designated as a tier 1 sex offender. In addition Parks served 45 days in jail and was ordered to complete 30 hours of community service.
4. Marion Attorney Faces Serious Allegations at Upcoming Hearing…Marion Attorney Jack VanBibber was set to appear before the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct in Columbus on September 12. The current accusations against VanBibber include:
Inappropriate Relationships: He is alleged to have engaged in a sexual relationship with a client, violating ethical guidelines and providing false information about the timeline of this relationship during court proceedings.
VanBibber stalled the proceedings as long as he could. But on December 17, 2025, a two year suspension of VanBibber’s license to practice law was recommended. VanBibber has 20 days to answer the recommendation.
3. Marion City Council Investigates $40,000 fraud case linked to General Fund... Federal authorities and Marion Police investigated a $40,000 fraud at Fahey Bank involving the City of Marion’s general fund after an intercepted check, even though the funds were restored.
This investigation arose during the Marion City Council committee meeting on October 20, where City Auditor Miranda Meginness disclosed that the city’s general fund had been compromised in July, following the interception of a check sent through the mail.
Auditor Meginness reported that all misappropriated funds have since been restored.
According to police, the fraudulent activities began on July 9 and extended into mid-August, with the incident first reported to authorities on July 18. A police report was subsequently filed on July 21.
2. Marion County Court dismisses Rape Case Amid Plea Agreement. The Marion County Common Pleas Court has seen yet another dismissal of a first-degree rape case, continuing a pattern of delays and dismissals. In May of 2023, Clayton Mally, 31, was indicted by Marion County Prosecutor Ray Grogan on charges of alleged rape and gross sexual imposition. Nearly two years later, the case was resolved through a plea agreement that reduced the charges to a misdemeanor count of assault… This decision marked yet another instance of similar dismissals by Marion County Prosecutor Ray Grogan.
The number one story for Marion County Now dates back many years before it’s inception. A Morrow County Grand Jury indicted a posthumous murder charge from 1979.
In a significant development regarding a decades-old cold case, the Morrow County Grand Jury returned an indictment for one count of murder against Dana Slane in connection with the killing of Catherine Conley. Conley was reported missing on June 1, 1979, and her body was subsequently discovered on June 15, 1979.
The investigation into Conley’s disappearance initially involved law enforcement agencies from Morrow and Marion County. However, the case remained unsolved for many years until recently, when Detective Brandon Newsome of the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office reopened the investigation. Detective Newsome developed a theory linking Slane to the crime after uncovering a prison letter sent by Slane to a friend. In this letter, Slane acknowledged the murder and claimed that law enforcement was aware of his involvement but lacked sufficient evidence for prosecution.
Dana Slane died before facing justice. His death left a destroyed family with more questions than answers.
Catherine Conley’s daughter and biggest advocate, Naomi Craig told Marion County Now:
“While I am grateful for the hard work of Morrow County Detective Brandon Newsome, there is much more to this story than was released in this statement. I will discuss it at a later time.
I hope the closure of a case, that is nearly half a century old, helps shed some light on the plight of “cold case” families and the hopelessness they can feel for generations.”—Naomi Craig
That concludes the top ten stories of 2025. Everyone at Marion County Now thanks you for joining us on our journey to be your most trusted news source, We thank you for takings us to 640,000 interactions.
We wish you a happy and prosperous new year.