Temperance man convicted in burglaries, assault

11/5/2002

A Temperance man accused of committing a series of residential burglaries and assaulting an elderly woman in one of them was convicted yesterday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.

Keith B. Schultz, 36, pleaded no contest to one count each of felonious assault and aggravated burglary and two counts of burglary. Judge James Jensen accepted the pleas and scheduled sentencing for Nov. 27.

Denise Cubbon, an assistant county prosecutor, said the crimes include the burglary and ransacking of a Meteor Avenue house Feb. 7, in which he assaulted the 84-year-old resident. She said he also admitted to burglarizing a home in Waterville the day before and to the break-in of a home on Tappan Avenue in March.

Police linked Schultz to the burglary of the Waterville home through DNA found on a piece of pink chewing gum that was found in a bedroom. A wedding ring and jewelry were among the $13,000 in items taken from the home.

Mrs. Cubbon said the woman who was beaten in the burglary on Meteor was willing to testify had Schultz not pleaded guilty. She was choked, beaten, and knocked unconscious by the defendant.

“She is very relieved that this is behind her. But she was willing to testify in order for [Schultz] to be held accountable. She knew she had to testify and she was going to do it, “ Mrs. Cubbon said.

Schultz was convicted in October, 2001, of receiving stolen property and placed on community control for five years. Mrs. Cubbon said Schultz agreed to cooperate by providing information to police on up to 30 additional other burglaries he committed.