Lima man sentenced for shooting into dwelling
Apr. 12—LIMA — One day following his 21st birthday, a Lima man learned his fate for discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling in October of 2023.
Arrius Thomas was sentenced to four years in prison for shooting a gun into a residence in which his intended target was not even present.
Thomas pleaded guilty in March to single counts of the improper discharge of a firearm at or into a habitation or school safety zone, a second-degree felony, and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, a felony of the fourth degree.
In exchange for those pleas prosecutors dismissed nearly identical third- and fourth-degree felony counts, as well as other attached firearm specifications.
According to court records, Lima police officers on the morning of Oct. 28 were dispatched to the 400 block of North Pine Street in reference to shots fired into a dwelling. Shots entered into the front living room of the residence, just feet from where at least one occupant of the home was seated.
The incident reportedly was part of an ongoing domestic dispute of sorts.
During Friday's sentencing hearing in Allen County Common Pleas Court, the prosecutor in the case, as well as the defense attorney and Judge Terri Kohlrieser, each commented on the pre-sentence report that had been assembled. They complimented Thomas on his written statements, which Assistant Allen County Prosecuting Attorney Kyle Thines described as "well-written" and "thoughtful." Steve Chamberlain of the Allen County Public Defenders Office said Thomas had penned "one of the more thoughtful statements from a defendant that I've ever seen," which he said showed that "the contrast between the act and the person is a stark one."
Kohlrieser said Thomas' obvious remorse for his actions was evident in "one of the most heartfelt, intelligent statements I've ever read."
But in the final analysis, all agreed that Thomas must be held accountable in some fashion for his actions. The Lima resident acknowledged as much when, through tears, he told the judge, "I know what I did was wrong."
Thines asked the judge to impose a five-year prison sentence, saying anything less would "demean the seriousness of this offense."
Chamberlain asked for a term of community control, saying that the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction is little more than "a school of criminality" and any rehabilitation within the department is a "myth."
Kohlrieser said a prison term was necessary.
"People die in drive-by shootings," she said.
"I think you have seen the light. And I 100% believe you show genuine remorse. But I agree with the prosecutor that community control would absolutely demean the seriousness of this incident," Kohlrieser said.
Thomas will be eligible for a judicial release after serving a portion of his sentence.
