Scioto County Sheriff’s deputies dealt with two separate trespassing incidents in Wheelersburg this week, both involving suspects accused of being under the influence and refusing to stay away when told.
Man Arrested After Returning to Property
Deputies arrested Robert Swallows after a caller reported he was high on drugs and on their back deck, despite deputies having formally trespassed him from the property just days earlier.
Swallows was taken into custody and booked into the Scioto County Jail on charges of criminal trespass and criminal damaging.
In Portsmouth Municipal Court, Swallows pleaded no contest. A judge sentenced him to 30 days in jail with 29 suspended, placed him on one year of probation, ordered him to have no contact with the victim, and required him to pay restitution.
Confrontation at SpeeDeeMart
Deputies also responded to the SpeeDeeMart in Wheelersburg after a man claimed an employee pushed him out of the store during an argument. The man told officers his girlfriend had tried to buy a vape but was refused. He went inside himself, exchanged words with staff, and later said an employee confronted him outside while he pumped gas.
Deputies reviewed surveillance footage, which showed the man attempting to re-enter the store after being told not to return. While the employee was seen redirecting him, there was no audio of the exchange. Store staff confirmed he had been formally trespassed from the property.
The man was offered the chance to file a report for review by the prosecutor but declined, saying nothing would be done.
The Bigger Picture
Deputies say both cases highlight an important point: when someone is trespassed from a property, the order has teeth. Returning can result in arrest, fines, probation, and even jail time.
Ignoring a trespass warning not only risks legal consequences but often escalates situations that could otherwise be avoided.