Clemons
Dunn
By Shannon Bohle
SIDNEY — Two men were recently sentenced to prison after burglarizing a Sidney home and harming its residents.
Zaqon Marteece Zion Clemons, 23, of Piqua, was sentenced to a minimum of four years to a maximum of six years in prison, followed by a minimum of 18 months of mandatory (and up to three years of discretionary) probation, as well as all costs of prosecution, after entering a guilty plea on Jan. 4, 2022, to the reduced charge of burglary, a second-degree felony.
Clemon’s accomplice in the home-invasion robbery was Blake Fredrick Charles Dunn, 23, of Troy. Dunn was sentenced to two years in prison (with 432 days of jail credit) , a mandatory one-year and discretionary three-year post-release probation, and all costs of prosecution, for burglary, a third-degree felony. Two additional charges were dropped. Dunn was initially indicted on one count of aggravated burglary and two counts of kidnapping, each being a first-degree felony.
According to court documents, on or about Dec. 1, 2020, Clemons and Dunn allegedly forced entry into an occupied residence in Sidney. Two adults were present, one male and one female, both residents of the home. Clemons and Dunn then allegedly “restrained the liberty” and “inflicted physical harm” on them during the burglary.
On Jan. 4, 2022, Clemons entered a guilty plea to the reduced charge of burglary, a second-degree felony, with the other charges dismissed, and a joint recommendation by the state and defense to a sentence of three years in prison. The maximum prison term and fine allowed was up to 12 years and $15,000. Three days later, on Jan. 7, 2022, Dunn also entered a guilty plea to the amended charge of burglary, though his was classified as a third-degree felony.
In a second case involving Clemons, an issue of “nolle prosequi” was issued on Feb. 9, 2022. According to the legal website nolo.com, “nolle prosequi” is the legal option to act as if the charges had never been filed and is often used in cases where the prosecutor feels there is insufficient evidence to obtain a conviction, but leaves the door open to pursue the same charges again in the future, whereas an acquittal would not be able to pursue the charges again, as it would then be classified as “doublejeopardy” in violation of the defendant’s constitutional rights. Clemons was initially indicted on one count of aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony, when on or about Dec. 1, 2020, in Sidney, Clemons (with others) allegedly had brandished a firearm when burglarizing a residence.
Previously, in 2017, Dunn, who then resided in Piqua, was convicted of robbery, a second-degree felony, in Miami County, and was sentenced to three years in prison, less 84 days of jail time. The offense occurred on or about Feb. 27, 2017.
