Man imprisoned for attempted abduction of real estate agent in North Ridgeville

ELYRIA — A judge has handed down a two-year prison sentence to a Lorain County man who was one of two who tried to abduct a real estate agent who was showing a house in North Ridgeville last summer. Michael Evans, 38, with a last known address in Henrietta Township, pleaded guilty to felony abduction and misdemeanor assault in Lorain County Common Pleas Court on Monday. Judge Christopher Rothgery sentenced Evans to two years in prison on the felony and six months in jail on the misdemeanor, with the charges to run concurrent with each other for a total of two years. Another felony abduction charge was dismissed. Evans was granted 234 days credit for time already served awaiting trial. The judge also forbade him from having any contact with the victim in the case. In a separate case also resolved Monday, Evans pleaded guilty to felony charges of theft and misuse of credit cards, and was sentenced by Rothgery to 11 months in prison to run concurrent with the sentence in the attempted abduction case. Evans also was ordered to pay restitution of $2,798.80 to the victim in the theft case, according to court records. Evans and David Helton, 46, of Elyria, were facing charges they tried to abduct a real estate agent while she waited to show a home in North Ridgeville on Aug. 22, 2020. Police said the 54-year-old agent was at a house on Homecrest Drive when Evans and Helton pulled up in a silver SUV, spoke with her and asked her for a business card. When the agent tried to give them a card, one of them grabbed her arm and tried to pull her into the vehicle, with the passenger encouraging him. The victim struggled, suffering cuts and bruises, but broke free, got into her car and locked the doors. The two suspects fled but were arrested several days later and charged. Helton has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to two felony abduction charges and a misdemeanor assault charge. At a hearing in January, Rothgery found Helton not competent to stand trial at present, and ordered him held in the Warrensville Developmental Center in Highland Hills for treatment until he is competent. The next pretrial hearing in Helton's case is scheduled in June, according to court records.