State v. Bedsole

2022 Ohio 3693
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 17, 2022
DocketCA2021-09-089 & CA2021-09-090
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 2022 Ohio 3693 (State v. Bedsole) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Bedsole, 2022 Ohio 3693 (Ohio Ct. App. 2022).

Opinion

[Cite as State v. Bedsole, 2022-Ohio-3693.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS

TWELFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT OF OHIO

WARREN COUNTY

STATE OF OHIO, :

Appellee, : CASE NOS. CA2021-09-089 CA2021-09-090 : - vs - OPINION : 10/17/2022

DOUGLAS BEDSOLE, :

Appellant. :

CRIMINAL APPEAL FROM WARREN COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS Case Nos. 21CR37747 and 21CR38007

David P. Fornshell, Warren County Prosecuting Attorney, and Kirsten A. Brandt, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for appellee.

Johnna M. Shia, for appellant.

HENDRICKSON, J.

{¶1} Appellant, Douglas Bedsole, appeals the decision of the Warren County Court

of Common Pleas denying his motion to suppress evidence in Case No. 21CR37747, and

finding him guilty as charged in Case No. 21CR38007. For reasons discussed below, we

affirm the trial court's rulings.

Facts and Procedural History

{¶2} The facts and procedural history of this appeal stem from two different criminal Warren CA2021-09-089 CA2021-09-090

cases which were consolidated sua sponte by this Court.1 We will recite the facts of each

case then address appellant's respective assignments of error accordingly.

Case No. 21CR37747

{¶3} On November 25, 2020, Detective Nicholas Behymer, of the Warren County

Sheriff's Office, was investigating a South Lebanon vehicle theft and a Deerfield Township

burglary. When the stolen vehicle associated with the crimes was located, Detective

Behymer recovered DNA from cigarette butts found in the vehicle. At some point after

submitting the evidence for testing, Detective Behymer was informed of a DNA match with

appellant. On February 1, 2021, Detective Behymer submitted an application for a search

warrant for a buccal swab of appellant, as well as a supporting affidavit, in an effort to

confirm appellant's identity as the perpetrator.

{¶4} On February 2, 2021, Detective Behymer submitted an additional application

for a search warrant for real-time Global Positioning System ("GPS") data from appellant's

cell phone, along with a supporting affidavit. Substantial portions of the facts section of the

affidavit were copied directly from the February 1 affidavit. The judge approved the search

warrant. Meanwhile, on January 24, 2021, an arrest warrant was issued for appellant based

upon a charge of grand theft auto. Detective Behymer later testified that he had become

aware of the arrest warrant at some point before applying for the cell phone data warrant.

However, he failed to include this information in his affidavit.

{¶5} Based upon information provided by AT&T pursuant to the cell phone data

search warrant, Detective Behymer received historical cell phone location data that enabled

him to determine that appellant was in the vicinity of Hyde Park or Oakley, in Hamilton

1. Additionally, appellant was charged in a third case, Case No. 21CR38010. However, that case and those facts are not subject to this appeal, and we consequently do not address the case in this opinion.

-2- Warren CA2021-09-089 CA2021-09-090

County, Ohio. Officers determined that appellant's sister lived in that area, and procured

information including a description of her vehicle and residence. Lieutenant Chris Peters

and Sergeant Brian Hounshell were dispatched to appellant's sister's address pursuant to

both the historical cell phone GPS data and live cell phone GPS updates that were being

sent to Detective Behymer. The officers observed an individual who appeared to match

appellant's description get into a vehicle with a woman and drive onto the interstate.

Detective Behymer then received cell phone GPS data updates which matched the vehicle's

path up Interstate 71. Lieutenant Peters and Sergeant Hounshell followed the vehicle to

Warren County.

{¶6} The officers checked the vehicle's license plate and determined that it was

stolen. They directed other officers to initiate a traffic stop. When the law enforcement

vehicle activated its lights, Lieutenant Peters testified that he saw an object flung from the

passenger window of the vehicle being pursued. On stopping to investigate, he found that

it was a handgun. Appellant was arrested and subsequently indicted on two counts of

having a weapon while under disability, two counts of tampering with evidence, one count

of improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle, one count of carrying a concealed

weapon, and one count of possessing drug abuse instruments.

{¶7} On August 7, 2021, appellant filed a motion to suppress, alleging that the

affidavit was deficient because it failed to connect appellant's cell phone number to him. At

the suppression hearing, Detective Behymer testified that he learned that the cell phone

number belonged to appellant "through speaking with other people that know [appellant]"

who "provided [him] with a phone number and the location of his sister's residence."

However, he admitted that he failed to disclose that information or the identities of those

who assisted him when obtaining the warrant. Lieutenant Peters, who was Detective

-3- Warren CA2021-09-089 CA2021-09-090

Behymer's supervisor, testified that appellant's wife was the source of the cell phone

number, but her involvement was intentionally withheld to protect her identity.

{¶8} On September 1, 2021, the trial court issued a written decision denying the

motion. The trial court found that there was probable cause to support the search warrant,

noting that while the affidavit and search warrant were "inartful at times," there was "ample

evidence upon which to conclude [appellant] had committed a crime." On September 9,

2021, appellant pled no contest to the offenses as charged. He was sentenced to a total of

twenty-four months in prison, to be served consecutively to the sentence imposed in Case

No. 21CR38007. Appellant now appeals the denial of his suppression motion, raising one

assignment of error.

Case No. 21CR38007

{¶9} On the evening of December 8, 2020, corrections officers Heilyse Ventura

and Josh Hartmann were on duty at the "B pod" at the Warren County Jail, where appellant

was then incarcerated. Following observation that aroused their suspicion, they conducted

a drug investigation in cell 107, sending the inmates to have body scans administered.

During a search of the cell, Officer Ventura received information that there were drugs in

cell 117, where appellant was staying, and more specifically, that appellant had drugs. Cell

117 is directly across from cell 107 and visible therefrom. Following the tip, appellant and

his cellmate were handcuffed and sent to have body scans administered. No drugs were

subsequently found in appellant's cell.

{¶10} Sergeant Larry Laird performed a body scan of appellant and detected an

abnormality near his genitals that was inconsistent with "naturally occurring anatomy."

Lieutenant John Denniston agreed with Sergeant Laird's finding and a strip search of

appellant was then conducted. Appellant was ordered to remove his clothing, squat, and

-4- Warren CA2021-09-089 CA2021-09-090

cough. He did so and the officers observed a black object between his buttocks. At the

officers' request, appellant produced the object and informed the officers that it was

marijuana. He was once again instructed to squat and cough, at which point the officers

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. McCollum
2026 Ohio 393 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2026)
State v. Eads
2025 Ohio 2815 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2025)
State v. Nkoyi
2024 Ohio 3144 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2024)
State v. Gregory
2023 Ohio 1700 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2023)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2022 Ohio 3693, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-bedsole-ohioctapp-2022.