Blumensaadt: I'm suffering

PUT-IN-BAY — Put-in-Bay whistleblower Keith Blumensaadt remains behind bars 15 months after his standoff with island police.And he's not doing well."No one will tell me what's going on," Blumensaadt told the Register Wednesday. "I'm suffering. My health is deteriorating."Blumensaadt, who has been confined in the Ottawa County jail save a few hospital visits and court hearings, doesn't understand why his case isn't resolved.He is charged with felonies following a standoff with Put-in-Bay police in June 2017. He allegedly threatened to shoot officers following a failed traffic stop.Blumensaadt claimed police targeted him for going to the authorities with allegations against Mayor Bernard "Mac" McCann. He claims McCann, and possibly other village officials, allegedly engaged in theft, conflicts in interest, illegal contract awards and mishandling of village finances. The investigation by the Ohio Attorney General, which included raids at the offices of McCann, former solicitor George Wilber, and the owner of the Jet Express, Todd Blumensaadt, Keith's brother, finished this summer and is under prosecutorial review.The officer who tried to pull Blumensaadt over that night, triggering the standoff, is El'Shawn Williams. Williams had Blumensaadt listed in his cellphone as "suspect Keith" when the standoff occurred, according to police body camera footage.Williams was federally indicted in July for allegedly assaulting a handcuffed man and falsifying reports to cover it up while he worked for Put-in-Bay police.Blumensaadt's case is mired in delays with no clear resolution in sight.The defense and prosecution have argued the search warrant executed on Blumensaadt's Put-in-Bay home after the standoff is not valid. Police entered his home and found multiple firearms and ammunition in a safe. That argument went to multiple suppression hearings and hasn't yet resolved in the wake of El'Shawn Williams' case.During an August pretrial hearing, Blumensaadt's defense attorney, Michael Lear, filed a motion to reopen and supplement the record "as it relates to El'Shawn Williams and his indictment," Ottawa County prosecutor James VanEerten said.As the officer who tried to pull Blumensaadt over in June 2017 and the person who claimed to see Blumensaadt aim a firearm at him, Williams is a key witness for the state."El'Shawn Williams does bring serious concerns about certain portions of the case," Ottawa County Prosecutor James VanEerten said. "But, at the end of the day, the firearms were discovered in an area where Keith possessed them. In that way, I don't have serious concerns about those facts."VanEerten said Lear wants the state to produce evidence — reports and interviews — related to Williams' federal indictment."It was decided I would make a request of the federal government to release those documents," VanEerten said. "I reached out, made the request, and CC'd Mr. Lear on the emails so he's aware."But the Justice Department hasn't responded with the records."We're in this Twilight Zone-type situation where I don't have control over when the federal government produces these documents," VanEerten said.When asked what happens next if they don't respond, VanEerten said he isn't sure."I have no control over the federal government. But we are doing everything we can to ensure Keith's rights are preserved. Keith's rights are his rights regardless of the matter being state or federal."Judge Bruce Winters, who has been with the case since the beginning, spoke to the Register on Wednesday."This is the oldest criminal case on my docket right now," Winters said. "It hasn't fallen off our radar by any means. We'll endeavor to move the case along but not at the expense of justice to the state or to Keith."Reach news editor Patrick Pfanner at pfanner@sanduskyregister.com, follow him on Twitter @PatPfanner and follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegisterPut-in-Bay resident Keith Blumensaadt listens to testimony on May 16, 2017, in Ottawa County Common Pleas Court. Blumensaadt was arrested late Tuesday on two felony charges.Put-in-Bay Officer El'shawn Williams warns other officers that Keith Blumensaadt threatened to shoot them during a standoff in Put-in-Bay on Tuesday, June 27, 2017. Put-in-Bay Cpl. El'shawn Williams has Keith Blumensaadt in his cellphone as "Suspect Keith" during the stand-off on June 27.