Richey returns to jail, son arrested

OTTAWA — A former Ohio death row inmate and his son each spent Friday night sleeping in jail cells. Kenneth Richey returned from a hospital stay Friday, while his son was arrested on charges pending in Minnesota.Sean M. Richey, 22, of Baxter, Minn., was arrested in the parking lot of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff James Beutler said.The better-known Richey in this area was released from St. Rita’s Medical Center on Friday and returned to the Putnam County Jail, where he will be until a Jan. 8 hearing. The Richeys won’t be bunkmates, though. Beutler said Sean Richey would not be held in the Putnam County Jail for security reasons. The sheriff declined to say where the younger Richey would be held, only that arrangements were made with another sheriff.Deputies arrested the younger Richey, of Baxter, Minn. at 9:15 a.m. Friday, Beutler said. Richey was arrested on a multi-count warrant from Crow Wing County, Minn., he said.“He came with his uncle, Steve, and was doing an interview with some media in our office, in our parking lot,” Beutler said. “One of our deputies noticed him there. We already had the warrants from Minnesota. He was going to be here to probably join up with his father, but that didn’t happen.”During Kenneth Richey’s Jan. 8 hearing, he is set to plead no contest to attempted involuntary manslaughter, child endangering and breaking and entering. He’s expected to be sentenced to 21 years in prison and be given credit for time served. He would then be released and was expected to return to Scotland.  Kenneth Richey spent more than 20 years on Ohio’s death row following the 1986 killing of 2-year-old Cynthia Collins in a Columbus Grove apartment fire. He was set to accept a plea deal Thursday that would have made him a free man when he was hospitalized with a recurring heart problem.His son’s charges include third-degree assault, felony terrorist threats, fifth-degree assault and non-sufficient fund checks.Sean Richey appeared in Putnam County Court later Friday morning. He signed an extradition waiver, Beutler said. Sean Richey will be held until law enforcement officials from Minnesota arrive to take him back to that state, he said.“He’s being held without bond,” Beutler said. “Minnesota’s been given like 30 days to pick him up.”Reporter Greg Sowinski contributed to this story.