36-year-old Ian Cultrona is on trial this week for his alleged role in a robbery turned shooting last year near Newcomerstown. He's facing up to 25 years in prison. (Photo by Stacey Carmany, Tusco TV)

New Philadelphia, Ohio - Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court jurors are learning more about an attempted robbery turned shooting last year in Oxford Township as prosecutors lay out their case against Ian Cultrona.

Cultrona is accused of colluding with Samantha Owen, Lucian Lambes and Douglas Casteel to rob a 21-year-old during a December 5th drug deal. He is on trial this week facing up to 25 years in prison for charges of conspiracy, felonious assault, aggravated robbery and attempted murder.

Several key witnesses took the stand Thursday including Lisa Freetage, whose vehicle was allegedly used by Lambes and Casteel to commit the robbery. She was also arrested during the investigation and charged with complicity but prosecutors agreed to recommend a reduced charge and sentence in exchange for her testimony. 

Jurors also heard from an 18-year-old who was riding in the victim’s SUV and a representative from a GPS monitoring company that tracked Casteel’s whereabouts on the day of the shooting. Samantha Owen is expected to take the stand today along with a Newcomerstown teen whose fingertip was severed by one of the bullets. The judge expects witness testimony will wrap up by the end of the day with deliberations possibly extending into the early part of next week.

TUSCO TV