$100,000 Bonds Set for Two Columbus Men Accused in Fin Feather Fur Gun Theft and 130-MPH Chase
Assistant prosecutor describes a 59-mile pursuit, repeated stop-stick attempts, an active construction zone and the recovery of 27 firearms
ASHLAND — Two Columbus men accused of fleeing state troopers with 27 firearms stolen from Fin Feather Fur Outfitters have each been ordered held on $100,000 bond.
Martell Lamont Dawson, 25, and Andez Tyrese Henry, 18, appeared separately by video Wednesday for bond hearings in Ashland County Common Pleas Court.
Dawson’s case was filed as 26-CRI-134, while Henry’s case was filed as 26-CRI-132.
Each defendant faces two charges:
Failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony.
Receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony.
Complaints Allege Men Created Risk of Serious Harm
Count One alleges each defendant operated a motor vehicle to willfully elude or flee a police officer after receiving a visible or audible signal to stop.
The complaints allege the manner in which the vehicle was operated created a substantial risk of serious physical harm to people or property.
Because the pursuit traveled through multiple jurisdictions, the complaints state the alleged offense occurred in Ashland, Richland, Morrow and Delaware counties.
Count Two alleges Dawson and Henry received, retained or disposed of 27 firearms belonging to Fin Feather Fur, knowing or having reasonable cause to believe the guns were obtained through a theft offense.
Court documents place the combined value of the firearms at $16,938.74.
Assistant Prosecutor Laura Stanley provided the court with an extensive account of the investigation while arguing for high cash bonds.
Stanley said the incident unfolded after an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper observed a vehicle traveling south on Interstate 71.
According to Stanley, the trooper saw the driver talking on a cellphone and pulled out to catch up with the vehicle. A speed check allegedly showed the vehicle traveling approximately 86 mph in a 70-mph zone before the trooper activated his emergency lights and siren.
“The vehicle took off at a high rate of speed,” Stanley told the court.
Stanley said the vehicle’s speed increased to approximately 120 mph as the trooper attempted to make the stop. Authorities then learned the vehicle had been entered into law enforcement databases as stolen.
Troopers made multiple attempts to deploy stop sticks, but those initial attempts were unsuccessful.
While the pursuit continued, dispatchers advised troopers that a breaking and entering had occurred at Fin Feather Fur in Ashland. Stanley said authorities became concerned that the fleeing vehicle could be connected to the burglary.
The vehicle allegedly reached speeds near 130 mph as it approached an active construction zone containing workers.
Stanley said other troopers began clearing workers from the construction zone in an effort to keep them safe as the pursuit approached.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Aviation Section then took over radio traffic and located the fleeing vehicle near Interstate 71’s 135-mile marker.
Stop sticks were deployed again in the construction zone and were successful. According to Stanley, the vehicle continued south before crashing near the 126-mile marker.
Stanley described the pursuit as covering approximately 59 miles.
Stanley told the court that two suspects ran from the vehicle after it crashed.
Both defendants were subsequently located and taken into custody.
Beside the crashed vehicle, troopers reportedly found a bag containing 14 firearms. Stanley said those firearms still had Fin Feather Fur tags attached to them.
A second bag was located with an additional 13 firearms and a Taser inside.
In total, authorities reported recovering all 27 firearms allegedly taken from the Ashland business.
Second Stolen Vehicle Found at Fin Feather Fur
While troopers were pursuing the vehicle on Interstate 71, Ashland County authorities were processing the Fin Feather Fur burglary scene.
The burglary was first reported at approximately 1:39 a.m. Monday, Aug. 3, when an alarm company detected activity near the store’s east main entrance, upstairs windows and east archery department.
Ashland County Sheriff’s Office deputies found broken glass after arriving at the business, located at 652 U.S. Route 250 East. Deputies later used a drone to search the building.
Stanley said investigators found a second stolen vehicle at Fin Feather Fur. That vehicle was reportedly from Columbus and appeared to have crashed while attempting to enter the business.
“It appears that it may have crashed while attempting to pull into the Fin,” Stanley told the court.
The crash left the vehicle disabled. The vehicle pursued on Interstate 71 had also been reported stolen.
The court ordered Dawson and Henry to have no contact with either alleged victim if released.
While arguing for a $500,000 cash bond for Henry, Stanley told the court he had a prior criminal history.
According to Stanley, Henry had a 2022 conviction for receiving stolen property and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Stanley said Henry also had 2024 offenses involving unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property and possession of criminal tools.
“Based on this, Your Honor, we are asking for a $500,000 cash bond,” Stanley said.
She also requested that Henry be prohibited from contacting Fin Feather Fur, the owners of the stolen vehicles or Dawson.
If Henry were released, Stanley asked that he be placed on GPS monitoring and subjected to a curfew.
During Dawson’s hearing, Stanley said records appeared to show prior cases involving strangulation, domestic violence and assault.
Dawson interrupted and said the case had been dismissed.
Stanley acknowledged that prosecutors were still attempting to determine the status and dispositions of the prior cases. She said the available records indicated the matters had been “held,” but did not provide a final explanation of what that designation meant.
The reported prior cases were not among the charges currently pending against Dawson in Ashland County.
Stanley again requested a $500,000 cash bond, no contact with Fin Feather Fur, no contact with the alleged victims and no contact between Dawson and Henry.
She also requested GPS monitoring and a curfew if Dawson were released.
Stanley told the court that prosecutors may seek a sentence involving each of the 27 firearms.
In Henry’s hearing, Stanley said the state would “probably be seeking a sentence on each of the guns” and claimed Henry could face “at least 80 years in prison just on the guns.”
She said that potential punishment would not include any sentence arising from the alleged 59-mile police chase.
Stanley made a similar statement during Dawson’s hearing, telling the court that prosecutors would likely seek a sentence involving each recovered firearm.
The complaints currently filed against Dawson and Henry each contain only two felony counts. No indictment containing 27 separate firearm counts was included in the provided court records.
Court Rejects State’s $500,000 Bond Requests
The court declined Stanley’s requests for $500,000 cash bonds and instead set bond at $100,000 for each defendant.
The bonds may be posted through a surety bond, cash or real estate, but no 10% option was granted.
If released, Dawson and Henry must remain in Ohio, submit to GPS monitoring and observe a curfew from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m.
Both men would also be prohibited from:
Possessing firearms.
Operating a motor vehicle.
Using alcohol or illegal drugs.
Going onto the Fin Feather Fur property or coming within 500 feet of the business.
Contacting the owners of the allegedly stolen vehicles.
Contacting each other.
Both defendants would also be required to enroll in the court’s drug and alcohol testing program and pay the costs associated with GPS monitoring.
During his hearing, Dawson questioned the allegation that he was driving the fleeing vehicle.
“My paperwork says somebody else was driving, but y’all saying I was driving,” Dawson told the court. “It literally says in my paperwork the driver was wearing a black hoodie. I didn’t have no black hoodie when I came in here.”
The court advised Dawson that the hearing was only being conducted to establish bond and not determine whether the allegations were true. He was told to discuss the disputed driving allegation with his attorney.
Attorney John Pile was appointed to represent Dawson. Attorney Donald Wick was appointed to represent Henry.
Henry’s next video hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 6. Dawson is scheduled to appear by video at 11:30 a.m. the same day.
The charges remain allegations. Dawson and Henry are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
