Willard man sentenced for New Year's 2024 shooting

WILLARD — A Willard man was recently sentenced after pleading guilty to shooting a woman in the leg on New Year's Day 2024. At a court hearing on Monday, Bernabe Ramos, 27, 600 block Fink St., was convicted on one amended count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony, one count of receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony, and one count of possessing a defaced firearm, a first-degree misdemeanor. Ramos pleaded guilty to the three charges on the same day in exchange for the following charges to be dismissed: • One additional count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony • One count of attempt to commit an offense, a first-degree felony • One count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony • One count of obstructing official business, a fifth-degree felony Huron County Common Pleas Court Judge James Conway sentenced Ramos to serve a term of between five years and 11 months and seven years and 11 months in prison, according to court records. Ramos additionally received credit for serving approximately a year and a half in jail and will be placed on a mandatory term of up to three years post-release control, according to court records. Background Ramos was initially arrested by Willard police on Jan. 1, 2024, after officers responded to a call at approximately 8 a.m. regarding a shooting that occurred in the 600 block of Fink Street. The woman who called the police claimed that she was shot in the leg. The woman was later transported to a local hospital for treatment and later released, according to Willard police. The suspect, later identified as Ramos, had reportedly left on foot and was still armed. Shortly after the shooting, police received information that Ramos was at a relative's residence in the 200 block of S. West Avenue, according to police. Members of the Willard Police Department, the Huron County Sheriff's Office, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol established a perimeter around the residence. Several family members left the home, but Ramos stayed inside. Officers were able to maintain communication with Ramos from the outside, and at approximately 10:50 a.m., Ramos surrendered peacefully. Police contacted the Ohio Attorney General's Office, which sent the Bureau of Criminal Investigation out to gather evidence at the scene.