Former officer pleads guilty in odometer case

4/28/2006

VAN WERT, Ohio - A former Van Wert City police officer has pleaded guilty in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court to reduced charges of violating sales and tampering with vehicle odometers.

John Semer, 37, Ohio City had been indicted in August on 13 counts dealing with the violation of illegally selling vehicles and tampering with the odometer readings.

The plea agreement accepted Wednesday reduced four of the charges to misdemeanors, including selling more than five vehicles within a 12-month period without a dealers' license and three counts of attempting to change the odometer cluster of vehicles.

Mr. Semer faces a maximum sentence of 18 months and a maximum fine of $3,150 when he's sentenced June 28.