Logan County man sentenced to 5 years in prison
He apologized in court for teen’s shooting death.
A 20-year-old Logan County man who claimed self-defense in the shooting death of a teen will spend five years in prison for the crime.
An illegal business 20-yearold Evan Hoffman ran providing alcohol to minors and throwing parties at his Logan County home led to the death, prosecutors said.
Hoffman, of Logan County, pleaded guilty earlier this summer to a charge of reckless homicide in the case, according to court records.
Hoffman also pleaded guilty to a charge of sex with a minor in a separate case related to the party business but not the shooting death, Logan County Assistant Prosecutor Eric Stewart said.
The 20-year-old admitted to investigators he was throwing a party at his home on Dec. 27, when he got into an argument with 16-yearold Branden Doseck.
Doseck left the party, investigators said, but later returned. In 9-1-1 calls, Hoffman said Doseck forced his way into the home and tried to attack him.
Doseck died from a gunshot wound at Mary Rutan Hospital in Bellefontaine.
“Whether it’s five years or 50 years it’s not enough — a life sentence is not enough. It’s not going to bring him back,” said Bob Ward, Branden’s stepfather.
A judge gave Hoffman five years for the charges. He faced a maximum of 5½ years in prison.
Branden’s mother, Amy Ward said she hopes to fight for tougher actions against people who provide alcohol to minors.
“Stiffer penalties and laws on people who provide alcohol to minors should be put into effect and I will be fighting for that,” Amy Ward said.
Without alcohol in the picture that night, her son might not have been killed, she said.
Hoffman apologized in court.
“I fervently wish that the actions that led up to that night would have never happened,” Hoffman said.
Judge Mark O’Connor said Hoffman was “thick-skinned” and had not shown remorse in the case.
“It was (Huffman) that created this whole situation to begin with... he didn’t have to use deadly force,” O’Connor said.
The victim’s family said they agreed to the plea deal because they did not want to have to go through the pain of a trial.
“The way that it happened was so unexpected, so tragic and it’s been really hard to deal with,” Bob Ward said.
Hoffman is currently serving out a six-month jail term at the Logan County Jail on a separate case, according to court records.
He will be sent to an Ohio prison in February 2017 to serve his five-year term on this case, Judge O’Connor said.
Hoffman must also register as a Tier Two sex offender for the next 25 years.