As Middletown Municipal Court Judge James Sherron reviewed Duhamel’s court history, he noted he had 78 cases in this court, and he was 30 years old.
“That’s a career,” Sherron said.
“I’m a piece of ——,” Duhamel told the judge.
Thursday’s police standoff was the fifth with area police this year. In addition to this week’s incidents in Franklin Twp. and Middletown, there were standoffs in Liberty Twp. and in Middletown in January and February, respectively. There was another last month in Trenton that resulted in the death of a Trenton woman during the standoff the day after the slaying of another woman in Madison Twp.
Sherron accepted Duhamel’s guilty pleas and sentenced him to 180 days in jail for inducing panic, and 90 days each for the resisting arrest and obstruction of official business charges. All of the charges were misdemeanors.
Duhamel did not stay in the Middletown jail long as he was transferred to Warren County where he faces charges for a previous standoff with police Wednesday night as well as other charges in Franklin Municipal Court. He was booked into the Warren County Jail about 2 p.m. Friday.
Middletown police Maj. Scott Reeve said the Warren County Sheriff’s Office had put a holder on him to ensure he appears in Franklin court.
Franklin court officials said Duhamel would probably be arraigned by video on charges of aggravated menacing, inducing panic and violation of a protection order on Tuesday for the July 4 night standoff with Warren County Sheriff’s deputies and the Tactical Response Team on Mentz Road in Franklin Twp.
Credit: WARREN COUNTY JAIL
Credit: WARREN COUNTY JAIL
Duhamel managed to elude deputies during the commotion and fireworks of the Fourth of July celebrations. He is also facing charges of domestic violence and two other violations of protection orders from May but has not yet appeared in the Franklin court for those charges.
On Thursday, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office issued a release seeking public assistance in locating Duhamel and also said he was considered “armed and dangerous.” The sheriff’s office told this news outlet that he was believed to be in the Middletown area.
Three other men were arrested for disorderly conduct and misconduct during an emergency while police were trying to apprehend Duhamel in Thursday’s standoff. They also appeared in Middletown court on Friday.
Credit: PROVIDED
Credit: PROVIDED
Devontia Ibsen, 20, of 6501 Germantown Road, pleaded guilty to misconduct at an emergency scene. His cousin is Duhamel.
“He understands that he acted badly,” said his attorney, James Smith. “He was upset. I told him emotional decisions are almost always wrong decisions.”
Friday was supposed to be Isben’s first day on the job at the Days Inn in Middletown.
Kyle Albin, 22, of 510 Baltimore St., also pleaded guilty to misconduct at an emergency scene. He told Sherron that he cried all morning in the jail.
“I really don’t want to go back downstairs,” Albin said of the jail.
Ibsen and Albin were sentenced to 30 days — with 30 days suspended — and placed on one-year probation.
The third person charged with misconduct at an emergency scene, Robert Myers Jr., 28, of 302 Moore St., also pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to 30 days with 15 days suspended.
In a Facebook post Friday morning, Reeve said Officer Wayne Birch spotted Duhamel, on a porch in the 600 block of Baltimore Street.
Reeve said the Special Response Team was deployed and after forcing entry, Duhamel was located inside the residence. Duhamel was safely brought out and taken to the Atrium Medical Center after complaining of a back injury, then taken to the Middletown City Jail.
Reeve said during a search of the residence, several guns and ammunition was located.
During this incident, a large crowd gathered and some become unruly, eventually crossing the police crime scene tape and threatening officers, Reeve said. Police arrested Myers Jr., Albin and Ibsen and took them to the city jail.
“(Middletown Division of Police) will not tolerate anyone interfering in an investigation or an emergency situation as this one,” said Reeve. “The police line tape is up for a reason. Threatening to hurt or fight an officer by trying to incite the crowd will result in your arrest and prosecution.”
