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McDermitt pleads: Former WHS student who plotted attack in St. Marys pleads in case |
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Wednesday, 25 November 2009 |
By MATT NICHOLS
Staff Writer
A former Wapakoneta High School student pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges stemming from a December bomb scare.
In a pre-trial held at the Auglaize County Common Pleas Court, Jesse B. McDermitt, 19, of St. Marys, pleaded guilty to one count each of inducing panic and carrying a concealed weapon, both fourth-degree felonies, and possession of a dangerous ordinance, a fifth-degree felony.
McDermitt had been charged with two counts each of carrying a concealed weapon, fourth-degree felonies, unlawful possession of a dangerous ordinance, fifth-degree felonies, and inducing panic, fourth-degree and fifth-degree felonies respectively, but in a negotiated plea agreement with Auglaize County Prosecuting Attorney Ed Pierce, one count from each charge was dismissed.
Pierce was unavailable for comment on the case this morning.
The charges against McDermitt stemmed from a Dec. 2 incident where he placed incendiary devices near fuel pumps at the St. Marys Marathon Station. Employees at the gasoline station contacted police after discovering a black bag at one of the fuel pumps.
The bag contained 2-liter bottles filled with fluid and were taped and wired together.
Members of the St. Marys Police and Fire departments, as well as the Allen County Bomb Squad, FBI and Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), responded to the scene to assist in the investigation.
The Allen County Bomb Squad detonated the device at the Marathon Station.
Investigators located McDermitt — who quickly became the focus of the investigation — at the Townview Terrace Apartments, where he had a smaller bottle wired and strapped to his body. Officers removed that device, placed it in a dumpster and detonated it.
McDermitt was involved in a similar incident in 2006 at Wapakoneta High School when he was found to be in possession of a zip gun, bomb-making materials and a knife.
The St. Marys teen pleaded innocent by reason of insanity during his June 8 arraignment.
After a psychological evaluation, Common Pleas Judge Frederick Pepple deemed McDermitt competent to stand trial, but McDermitt’s attorney, public defender Mark Weller was able to obtain a second evaluation after his client claimed he did not understand some questions during his first evaluation. McDermitt issued Tuesday’s plea before a second evaluation took place.
A pre-sentence investigation will be conducted prior to sentencing.
McDermitt must pay $9,700 in restitution to the St. Marys Marathon gasoline station, the St. Marys Police Department and the Allen County Bomb Squad.
He also faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison and a $12,500 fine.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 27 November 2009 )
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