Man convicted for role in deaths gets early release

CELINA - A former St. Henry man convicted for his role in the 2008 death of four Marion Local High School graduates was granted early release from prison on Wednesday.

Staush Homan, 27, was ordered released this morning after serving five years and eight months of a nine-year prison term. Mercer County Common Pleas Court Judge Jeffrey Ingraham placed Homan on community control sanctions with multiple conditions.

Homan on Wednesday told the judge he knows his crimes were "very, very serious," and he takes "full, full responsibility for his actions."

Homan was sentenced in March 2009 on four counts of reckless homicide and two counts of trafficking in drugs. He was convicted of selling cocaine to Nicholas Schwieterman the night the Chickasaw man drove through a stop sign at the intersection of Brockman Road and county Road 716A and hit a car carrying the four teens.

Pronounced dead at the scene of the accident were Jordan Moeller, Jordan Diller, Jordan Goettemoeller and Bradley Rockner.

Homan on Wednesday turned to the family members of the victims and said he was "truly sorry for their losses."

"I know I will suffer what happened the rest of my life," he said. "I hope you find it in your hearts to somehow forgive me."

Homan's attorney, William Kluge, told Ingraham the defendant has taken advantage of many programs while in prison, including a number of drug and alcohol treatment meetings.

"Staush has a plan, a job and a place to go if he's released," Kluge said before Ingraham ruled. "He's shed his old life of dealing drugs and has turned his life around. He wants to become a contributing member of society."

Mercer County Prosecutor Matt Fox said he would leave the decision for early prison release to Ingraham's discretion, but he noted "time will tell" if Homan is serious about his rehabilitation.

Ingraham said after reading all the reports prepared by the county probation department and the prison, he felt Homan should be given a chance to prove he wants to be a "productive citizen of this community."

"Right now I have no reason to disbelieve what he's said to me or the probation officer," the judge said. "He's said he has grown, matured and understands that he doesn't want to be involved in the life he led. I think with the probation department's help, he can be successful."

Ingraham ordered Homan to report to the probation department immediately upon his release. He was placed on community control sanctions and intensive probation for up to one year and ordered to obtain employment, consume no alcohol or drugs, not own any weapons and abide by a daily 9 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew.

The judge also ordered that Homan be subject to random drug/alcohol tests and required him to establish a residence. He is not allowed to leave Mercer County or the state of Ohio for more than 24 hours at a time without permission of the court.

After serving intensive probation, Homan will be placed on basic supervision by the probation department for up to five years.

Family members of the victims did not speak during the court hearing.

Fox said Homan must prove he is rehabilitated or face future consequences.

"He's (Homan) been given the opportunity to prove he learned his lesson," the prosecutor said. "If he violates his community control, he'll go back to prison and when he gets out that time he'll be on parole, which will just increase his time with the court watching him closely."

Schwieterman in 2009 was sentenced to 24 years in prison for four counts of involuntary manslaughter. He remains incarcerated at the Lorain Correctional Institution in Grafton. His release date is set for Oct. 9, 2032.