Mich. man violates no-contact order

4/26/2014

A Temperance man who sent more than 1,000 text messages to the woman he’s charged with assaulting was sent to jail Friday for violating the court’s no-contact order.

Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Michael Goulding increased Kenneth Teal’s $25,000 bond to $250,000 at the request of Claudia Ford, an assistant Lucas County prosecutor.

“We take these violent crimes against women seriously,” Ms. Ford said after the hearing.

Teal, 44, is charged with felonious assault for allegedly punching his ex-girlfriend, Stephanie Castillo, in the face at her Toledo home Dec. 18. He is accused of punching her in the nose and left eye, breaking her nose and causing an orbital eye fracture.

Ms. Ford told the court that a review of the victim’s cell phone records showed that Teal had sent the victim 1,068 text messages over a 26-day period in direct violation of the no-contact order. At an earlier hearing Monday, Ms. Ford played a videotape of Teal’s arraignment at which time he told the judge he “absolutely” understood he was to have no direct or indirect contact with Ms. Castillo.

Still, Ms. Ford said the next day, on Tuesday, Teal went to the Monroe County Courthouse, and, upon seeing Ms. Castillo there, used his cell phone to videotape her.

Judge Goulding told him he should have walked away as soon as he saw her.

Teal’s attorney, Martin Mohler, said Ms. Castillo had initiated contact with Teal on numerous occasions since the no-contact order was imposed. He asked the court to set a reasonable bond that would allow his client to stay out of jail, or to withhold making a decision on his bond until after Teal is sentenced on Monday for the domestic violence charge in Monroe County.

Judge Goulding declined that request. He set Teal’s trial on the felonious assault charge for July 14.

Contact Jennifer Feehan at: jfeehan@theblade.com or 419-213-2134.