Man accused of stealing grain

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced Nov. 28 a Huron County grand jury indicted a Monroeville man on charges of aggravated and grand theft.

Richard J. Schwan, 78, of Monroeville, was arrested Nov. 27, 10 days after the indictment, stated a DeWine news release.

Schwan’s bond hearing is 10 a.m., Nov. 29.

The indictment lists 41 counts, including 32 felony charges: seven counts of aggravated theft, firstdegree felony; six counts of grand theft, fourth-degree felony; six counts of theft from elderly, thirddegree felony; nine counts of falsification in a theft offense, third-degree felony; three counts of insolvent handler not to accept deposits, fourth-degree felony; a single count of delayed price agreement, fifth-degree felony; and nine counts of falsification, first-degree misdemeanor, the release said.

Schwan was doing business as Schwan Grain Inc. and was registered with the Ohio Department of Agriculture as a grain handler, the release said.

Schwan is accused of selling grain on behalf of 35 farmers and keeping $3.5 million profits from the sales, according to the release.

Additionally, Schwan is charged with filing several financial reports and documents with the agriculture department which falsely reported and concealed his liabilities and the monies which he owed to farmers after he sold their grain and kept the proceeds, the release said.

The agriculture department investigated the case.