PIQUA DAILY CALL • WWW.DAILYCALL.COM
LOCAL
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
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Ex-singer convicted of sex charges Suspect used fame, Facebook to lure victims BY WILL E SANDERS Staff Writer wsanders@dailycall.com TROY — An ex-singer of a locally known metal band who authorities say used h i s f a m e and a Facebook account to m e e t a n d h a v e s e x w i t h BRUNSVELD underage girls entered no contest pleas to a pair of sex-related felonies in common pleas court Monday.
Derek A. Brunsveld, 25, of West Milton, was found guilty of two counts of unlawful sexual conduct involving a minor by Judge Robert Lindeman during a court hearing. The now-convicted sex offender waived a grand jury’s consideration of his charges following an investigation in January. Brunsveld spoke little at the hearing except to answer routine questions asked by the judge, who ordered a presentence investigation in the case. Lindeman scheduled a sentencing hearing for Sept. 4. Brunsveld faces the maximum sentence of between six months and three years in prison, along with five years on mandatory parole, or he could receive a community control sanction term of between one to five years. In either case, however, Brunsveld is prohib-
ited from residing within 1,000 feet of a school. He will be labeled a sex offender at his upcoming sentencing hearing, which could require him to register as such for the either the next 15 years, 25 years or for the rest of his life. Defense attorney Andrew Pratt told the judge the pleas were being offered through an agreement where prosecutors stipulated there would be “no further charges for identified victims” filed against Brunsveld resulting from the sheriff’s investigation. He was released from the Miami County Jail earlier this month where he had been imprisoned since the outcome of the investigation. He is forbidden from having any contact — including on Facebook — with any victims in the cases or their families.
Fallen soldier Continued from page 1 Wheelock was at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to greet her son’s body as it arrived from the Middle East. Funeral services still are pending and the United States Department of Defense has yet to reveal any details regarding his death. “All they will say is that they still have to do the investigation and the autopsy,” Wheelock said. “I really don’t know any details — and I don’t think I want to know any details.” While details of his death may be unknown, those who knew Rice best are willing to offer plenty of details about his life. His mother remembers him as a voracious eater who would devour her homemade Rice Krispie treats by the pan and consume packages of Ramen noodles by the half-dozen. She said he “loved fishing, looking at the stars through this big telescope he had and drinking beer.” Much more than any of that, however, the people in his life — particularly the women in his life, his mother, aunt, sisters and nieces — remember him as someone who always put family first and looked to protect his loved ones. “He was a big teddy bear,” said his aunt, Cathy Pencil. “He loved his sisters, he loved his nieces and especially his mother.” Even while stationed in Afghanistan, Rice would frequently call and write to check up on his nieces, Ali, Kristen and Makayla. He would often chide them about their grades and ask whether they had a boyfriend. “He was a big dude, but he was a softy,” niece Ali Rice said. Rice also grew up loving football. He played his first two years in high school and, entering his junior season in the fall of 2005, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Rice appeared ready to assume a starting role along the offensive line for a powerhouse Troy team that had just been to the playoffs the year before. “He was a great kid who had all kinds of potential,” former Troy football coach Steve Nolan said. “He was a very hard-working kid and he didn’t mind being physical. There was no doubt going into his junior year that he was going to be someone we were going to count on.” Just before the season started, however, Rice gave it all up to help take care of his family. Rice’s father, Bruce, had suffered a stroke in 2003. He never recovered from the stroke and Rice quit football to help take care of his ailing father. His father passed away in 2007. “Jeff was always there to help me with his dad,” Wheelock said. “He loved playing football — when he was a little kid, that’s all he wanted to do was
Originally, Brunsveld also was charged with corrupting another with drugs, but that charge has since been dropped. The former singer of the locally known band Ludlow Falls, Brunsveld was taken into custody by authorities Jan. 31 after a school resource officer received information concerning alleged sexual misconduct by Brunsveld involving a 15year-old girl. The man was “utilizing Facebook to meet and communicate with potential victims” and used the popular social media website to forge relationships with potential victims, according to sheriff’s office Chief Deputy Dave Duchak. The band Brunsveld was once lead vocalist for has since renamed the band, according to Tony Morick, the band’s bassist.
Hot weather, rain in forecast The hot and humid conditions continue for the next several days. Along with the heat and humidity comes the chance for showers and storms to pop up. This pattern sticks around through the work week with the hottest temperatures occurring on Thursday. Highs will reach the middle and upper 90s. High: 92 Low: 68.
EXT ENDED FO RECAST FRIDAY
THURSDAY HOT WITH CHANCE OF RAIN HIGH: 95
LOW: 75
NOT AS HOT, CHANCE OF RAIN HIGH: 86
In brief Fort Rowdy meeting Aug. 9
COVINGTON — The Fort Rowdy Gathering Committee’s next meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug 9. The meeting will be held at the Covington village and waited and then he building, 1 S. High St. Everyone is welcome to attend would call back. I would as the committee makes plans for the 2012 Gathering. tell him, ‘I know that was gunfire.’ He would say, ‘No, Class of ‘53 luncheon that was just some guys fooling around.’ But I PIQUA — The Piqua Central Class of 1953 will knew it was gunfire. But meet at 12 p.m. Thursday at China East, 238 E. Ash that was just Jeff — he St. For more information, contact Regina Favorite at didn’t want his mom to 78-0694 or John McCoy at 773-3374. worry about him. He was always more concerned about me. He was very loving, very sensitive and very protective. Continued from page 1 this year. The organization “I wasn’t as worried is a non-profit that proabout him the second time Full restitution has been motes the economic revitalhe went back. You let your ordered in the case. ization of downtown Troy. guard down a little bit … During her sentencing Dubbs, who no longer then the worst can hap- hearing Lawson apologized holds her position with the pen.” for her actions and stated organization, entered pleas And it did. This past she was ashamed. of no contest and was found Her indictment states guilty of one count of theft Thursday, Wheelock was greeted at her front door she committed the thefts and seven counts of forgery by a pair of army officials starting in 2007 and it con- at a change of plea hearing. who let her know her son tinued through 2001. All of her charges are fifthIn a press release issued degree felonies that each had died while in by Piqua Catholic schools carry a prison sentence of Afghanistan. “I didn’t open the front earlier this year, members between six to 12 months door right away, because I of the Piqua Catholic com- in prison. She remains out of jail thought, ‘Nobody ever munity “were saddened to rings the doorbell here; learn that a trusted volun- on a recognizance bond, but they always just come in teer” was allegedly behind is next due back in court for discrepancies her sentencing hearing on through the garage.’ When financial found by other members of Sept. 9. I looked at the window, I According to her indictcouldn’t see anyone be- the PTO and school offiment, Dubbs committed cause they were standing cials. Also appearing in court the theft throughout 2011 off to the left,” Wheelock said. “It was like a movie. I Monday was Michelle and committed the forgergasped and said, ‘Is he Dubbs, 37, of Troy, who al- ies on May 11, June 27, OK? Is he OK?’ I didn’t legedly stole thousands of Aug. 11, Sept. 13, Sept. 14, want to let them in, but I dollars from Troy Main Sept. 23, Nov. 22 and Dec. 8, had to know if he was OK Street organization earlier 2011. or not. It was a chaplain and a young man who was just as scared as he could be. They told me they Continued from page 1 Avenue in Sidney. needed to come in and that Hogston was later airsay that on Authorities I should sit down. It was the evening of April 19 he lifted to the Miami Valley like in the movies — I just and another motorist, Dusty Hospital in Dayton by Carekept backing away like it Hogston, 43, of Piqua, were Flight and has recovered would somehow go away, traveling southbound along from his injuries. but it didn’t go away.” Court documents show the bridge when Moore cut As she sat at her off Hogston, who was on a that Moore has been cited kitchen table — the same motorcycle, before the two for numerous traffic citaone at which her son de- stopped at the intersection tions dating back to 2004, voured so many of his of North Main Street and including several violations meals — Monday morning Riverside Drive. A verbal al- for seat belts, child rerecounting her son’s life, tercation then turned phys- straints, having an expired she read over an email he ical. The two men traded license, running a red light, had sent her. Tears filled punches before Moore use of unauthorized plates, her eyes as she read the struck Hogston with his car, fictitious plates, expired email — it would be the a 1997 Eagle Talon, and fled plates, speeding, operating a last one she ever received the scene. vehicle without a valid lifrom her son. Moore was apprehended cense and amplification. Currently, Moore has at The closing read: “one the next day on a police tip. last thing i really really His vehicle was later recov- least four points against his miss you and i love you ered from a garage in the driver’s license, court 800 block of South Miami records disclose. mom. write you soon”
Stealing
PROVIDED PHOTO
Jeffrey Rice, left, shares a moment with his mother, Sandy Wheelock, while still in high school. On July 19, Army Pfc. Rice was killed while serving in Afghanistan as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom. play football — but when his dad got sick, he quit football to help take care of his dad. If you’ve ever seen the movie ‘The Blind Side,’ that was how Jeff was. He wasn’t the fastest kid, but he was never going to let the other kid get around the corner. If they told him not to let that kid get around the corner, he wasn’t going to let that kid get around the corner. He was unbelievably strong. But he wanted to be here with his dad.” His junior year, Rice, a Troy High School student, began taking classes in Piqua at the Upper Valley Joint Vocational School, which has since been renamed the Upper Valley Career Center. He studied welding, which his mother said seemed a natural fit. “It was unbelievable how he could take things apart and put them back together,” Wheelock said. “He was always taking things apart. I would come home and there would be parts left over from what he had taken apart. I’d find pieces and parts that didn’t go with anything. He’d always say, ‘Don’t worry about it, Mom. I got it put back together. Those are just leftover parts.’” His welding skills were enough to earn him a scholarship to the Hobart School of Welding following his high school graduation in 2007, but by then he already had decided to pursue his lifelong dream of entering the military. “He always wanted to be in the service,” his mother said. “That’s all he ever wanted to do. It was all he ever talked about. He wanted to join the army and protect people.” Following graduation, Rice worked briefly at Speedway, the Troy Bowl and for his aunt’s FedEx business. On Sept. 22, 2008, at the urging of close friend and fishing partner Tom Bigelow, with whom Rice worked at the Troy Bowl, Rice entered the United States Army. Rice was assigned to the 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade in Fort Hood, Texas. His natural curiosity for taking things apart and putting them back together, coupled with his welding background, served him well when he was shipped off to Afghanistan in January 2009. Rice served as a field engineer in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
“If bridges were blown up or whatever, he would rebuild them,” Wheelock said. “It was a dangerous job. A lot of times he was dealing with bombs.” Wheelock knew her son was putting his life in danger and feared for his safety. Rice, however, always was quick to try to put his mother at ease. “I was scared. I was frightened when he went over,” Wheelock said. “But he would always tell me, ‘I’ll be OK, Mom.’ He was so proud of what he was doing. I knew that’s what he wanted to do. On the inside, I didn’t want him to go, but I wasn’t going to stand in his way.” Rice would spend nearly two years in Afghanistan before returning home in December of 2010, just in time for the holidays. He immediately wanted to return to the Middle East, but, as usual, was concerned about his mother, particularly following his father’s death several years earlier. Once he got the green light from his mother, though, he signed up for another tour of duty. “He wanted to go back (to Afghanistan),” Wheelock said. “He wanted to make a career out of (the army). He was worried that I would always be alone, but when I got married (to Dick Wheelock in 2010), he knew I would be well taken care of. So he went back in February for the last time. He volunteered to go back. He had to sign up and got chosen to go. A group of people was furious that he got to go back again because he had already gone.” In February of this year, Rice was again deployed to Afghanistan. Every chance he got, he would call or email his mother to let her know how he was doing. And no matter how much his mother worried about him, Rice would always worry about his mother that much more. “It’s funny, but a lot of times he would call me when he was in the bathroom,” Wheelock said. “It always sounded like he was talking from inside a tin can. A lot of times he would say, ‘I can’t tell you where I am or what I’m doing right now.’ Sometimes I would hear a round of gunfire and he’d say, ‘I’m OK; I’m OK.’ Then the phone would go dead for about 20 minutes. I was scared to death. I waited
LOW: 70
Road rage
Based on a study funded by the cities of Piqua and Troy
presents
Piqua/Troy Water System Study Recommendations TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2012. 7 P.M. EDISON COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROBINSON THEATRE, ROOM 040 1973 EDISON WAY, PIQUA RA Consultants will present its analysis and recommendations of the feasibility and financial rate impacts of various water treatment plant options.
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