Nine of the defendants of a large group of people indicted for their involvement in drugs and other charges were arraigned Wednesday morning before Judge Charles Steele in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court:
Andrew Lumpkins, 28, Spencerville, entered a not guilty plea to an indictment charging him with theft from an elderly person, a felony of the fifth degree.  
Lumpkins was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond with a pretrial hearing scheduled for March 7. 
Kennethy M. Imler, Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to violating a protection order.
Imler was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal surety bond with an additional condition that he have no contact with the alleged victim.  
A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for March 7.