Thursday, October 20th, 2016
Ex-area man in standoff sentenced
By Jared Mauch
WAPAKONETA - A former Minster man involved in a four-hour standoff with law enforcement on May 3 has been sentenced to 180 days in Auglaize County Jail and five years of community-control sanctions.
James Hoskins, 38, was charged with a fifth-degree felony of inducing panic and was sentenced on Wednesday by Judge Frederick Pepple in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court.
Hoskins' time in Auglaize County jail was given as a residential sanction, which allows him to stay locally in lieu of going to prison. He also was given credit for the 36 days already served in jail.
He must also pay at least $204 in monthly restitution fees for 60 months and must have written consent from his probation officer before leaving the state.
The required restitution was increased from $11,073 to $12,215 on Wednesday after additional costs to law enforcement from the May incident were included. Added were amounts of $835 to the Minster-Jackson Township Fire Department and $303 for the Ohio State Highway Patrol after Hoskins entered a guilty plea agreement in June. Hoskins agreed on Wednesday to the additional costs.
After Hoskins spent about 25 minutes trying to recall what his college education had been, Pepple added a condition that Hoskins not lie to anyone.
If Hoskins violates the sanctions, the court will impose more restrictive sanctions or a 12-month prison sentence.
Hoskins said he no longer resides at the address where the standoff occurred and now lives in Port Jefferson due to a recent divorce. He had lived at a property on state Route 119, east of Minster, when Auglaize County sheriff's deputies responded to a call reporting Hoskins was threatening to commit suicide with a handgun.
Officials reportedly had learned at the scene that a boy also was at the residence. Deputies were able to remove the boy safely.
During negotiations led by the Auglaize County Special Response Team, officials learned of possible explosive devices at the residence and called in Shelby County's special response team and the Allen County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad.
Negotiators were able to convince Hoskins to surrender, and he was taken by the Minster Area Life Squad to a hospital for treatment. A search of the home had revealed no real explosives. However, a handgun, knives and several items made to resemble explosives reportedly were found.
