Mercer County Court Roundup: Watters Gets 14 Months, Hawkins Granted Intervention, Willier Receives Suspended Jail Term

CELINA, Ohio — A Columbus man received a 14-month prison sentence, a Celina woman was granted intervention in lieu of conviction, and a Kenton man received a suspended jail sentence during proceedings Wednesday in Mercer County Common Pleas Court.

Travis Watters

Travis A.G. Watters, 40, of Columbus, received two consecutive seven-month prison terms, totaling 14 months, with credit for 233 days already served.

Court records show the hearing involved community-control violations in a 2025 forgery case. Watters admitted two violations alleging that he failed to provide his residence address to his supervising officer and failed to report as directed.

Watters’ underlying convictions were for two counts of forgery, both fifth-degree felonies, stemming from offenses on January 15, 2025. One count involved a forged $1,983 check payable to Watters.

The court originally placed Watters on three years of community control in September 2025. That sentence included placement in a community-based correctional facility for up to six months and an order to pay $1,983 in restitution. A theft count and a misdemeanor attempted-offense count were dismissed.

A notice of community-control violations was filed in February 2026. Watters was arrested on a bench warrant October 8, and the court filed an entry accepting his admission to the violations October 29.

Cassandra Hawkins

Cassandra M. Hawkins, 46, of Celina, pleaded guilty and was granted intervention in lieu of conviction in a fifth-degree felony drug-possession case.

The indictment alleged Hawkins possessed methamphetamine in Mercer County on December 16, 2025. The case was filed August 20, 2026.

Her attorney requested intervention in lieu of conviction in September. The court subsequently ordered a predisposition investigation and an evaluation for drug court to assist in deciding that request.

Intervention in lieu of conviction places a defendant under court supervision with an intervention plan. Successful completion results in dismissal of the proceedings without a criminal conviction.

Jeffery Willier

Jeffery S. Willier, 64, whose court filings list a residence in Kenton, changed his plea under a recommended agreement with prosecutors and received a 180-day jail sentence, all suspended.

The suspension is conditioned on Willier committing no offense more serious than a minor misdemeanor for two years.

Willier’s case began with a fourth-degree felony charge of receiving stolen property. Court records list the offense date as July 8, 2026, and a defense filing states that the charge involved a motor vehicle.

The case was filed July 10. Willier initially had a $25,000 bond subject to a 10% deposit. The court later granted his request for release on his own recognizance with conditions.