Hilbun sentenced to six years prison for burglary, assault

Originally published in the Daily Advocate Jan. 21, 2020

By Bethany J. Royer-DeLong

GREENVILLE — A former Louisiana man will spend the next six years in the Ohio
Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections after sentencing in Darke County Common Pleas
Court on Friday.

Jonathan Wayne Hilbun, also known as Jonathan Marlow, 47, made an appearance before Judge
Jonathan P. Hein for a change of plea and sentencing on aggravated burglary, a first-degree
felony, and felonious assault, a second-degree felony.

As previously reported, and elaborated upon in court, Hilbun kicked in the front door of a home
on Sweitzer St. and assaulted a male with a machete on Oct. 26, 2019.

Allegedly, Hilbun was under the influence of alcohol and had not slept in days at the time of the
incident.

“I was very upset,” said Hilbun, unable to recall the entire incident, as he explained seeing his
on-again, off-again girlfriend through a window and sitting on a couch with another male.

After breaking into the home, Hilbun attempted to grab the girlfriend and pull her towards the
front door when the other male intervened.

An altercation ensued, Hilbun striking the male victim with the machete in the shoulder, chest,
and face.

The victim received significant injuries requiring 17 stitches for the face injury and surgery on
the shoulder and chest.

According to the defense attorney, Randall Breaden, the defendant received a puncture wound on
his right arm with a knife obtained by the victim at some point during the altercation.

Prosecuting attorney Deborah Quigley provided Hilbun’s significant criminal history, including
a 1993 kidnapping, aggravated robbery, and aggravated crime against nature (rape) of which he
was sentenced to 25 years but did not serve the entire sentence.

Further, in 2007, Hilbun was charged with molestation of a juvenile, and a year later, carnal
knowledge of a juvenile. In 2014, charges of taking a controlled substance into a penal institution
and failure to register resulted in a two-year prison sentence.

The prosecution recommended a mandatory ten-year prison sentence on count one, and a five-
year mandatory prison sentence on count two with defense recommending a concurrent three-
year sentence for both charges, as his client is under probation in Louisiana.
When the Ohio sentence is complete, “Louisiana [will] probably pull the string and drag him
back […] he indicates he has substantial time over his head in Louisiana,” said Breaden.

Hilbun was sentenced to six years on both charges, to run concurrent, with five years mandatory
parole. He faced up to 34 years, taking into consideration Senate Bill 201, also known as the
Reagan Tokes Act.

Also appearing in court were the following:

*Courtney A. Weatherspoon, 29, of Greenville, for assault on a peace officer, a fourth-degree

felony, and assault on a corrections officer, a fifth-degree felony. She was sentenced to 11 days
in jail with eight days of jail credit, court costs, and 100 hours of community service.

*Lanita Dues, 58, of Greenville, for violations on an original two counts of aggravated
trafficking in meth, both third-degree felonies. She was sentenced to 18 months prison on both,
to run concurrent, with a $5,000 fine on each and court costs.

* Brittney/Brittany E. Harris, 27, of Greenville, for non-compliance including failure to attend e-

jail and testing positive for drugs. She was sentenced to the MonDay program.

* Ronald A. Lehman, Jr., 50, of Greenville, change of plea and sentencing on failure to notify
change of address, a second-degree felony. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison with 85
days of jail credit.