Alleged hog rustlers appear in Celina Court

All four members of the Crouch family of Celina and Bryant, Indiana  appeared for arraignments Wednesday morning at 8:30 in Celina Municipal Court in connection with their parts in the theft and sale of at least 22 hogs stolen from the same barn on State-Line Road near Fort Recovery over the past ten weeks.

The father and son were transported in one Mercer County Sheriff's cruiser from the county jail to court, and the mother and daughter-in-law in a second cruiser driven by a female deputy.

Standing before Municipal Court Judge James Scheer both Ricky Crouch and Chad Crouch were arraigned on charges of  breaking and entering and theft. Their bonds were set each at $50,000 in cash. They area back in the county jail.

Lisa Crouch and her daughter-in-law entered pleas of no contest to misdemeanor charges of receiving stolen property. Both were found guilty by Judge Scheer and ordered to undergo pre-sentence investigations. Sentencing will be March 8, 2012. The judge released both Lisa and Christina from jail on their own recognizance.

Both ladies were arrested at the livestock business earlier this week attempting to sell four hogs, said Mercer County Chief Deputy Gery Thobe.