2 Ohio men convicted in drug-chemical theft

11/8/2005

BOWLING GREEN Two northeast Ohio men pleaded guilty Monday to six felony charges for stealing anhydrous ammonia to manufacture the illegal drug methamphetamine, and threatening to kill an assistant county prosecutor.

Judge Reeve Kelsey of Wood County Common Pleas Court sentenced Louis Janson, 21, and Kyle A. Wortman, 19, both of Geneva, to six years in prison each for theft of anhydrous ammonia, breaking and entering, receiving stolen property, possession of chemicals to manufacture methamphetamine, carrying a concealed weapon, and witness intimidation.

The pair were arrested Aug. 25 outside Luckey Farmers Inc. on U.S. 6 east of Bowling Green where they were caught stealing the ammonia.

They were driving a stolen pickup and had a sawed-off shotgun with them, authorities said.

Janson and Wortman also threatened to kill county Assistant Prosecutor Gwen Howe-Gebers and an agent who works for the Wood County Sheriff s Office.