Amish Controversies

Judge Discusses Prison For Amish After New Citations; Letter from Amishman Harvey Hostetler

Judge Discusses Prison For Amish After New Citations; Letter from Amishman Harvey Hostetler

ByErik Wesner
3 Comments

Nine more Amish people in Ashland County, including two women, have been cited following citations for violating Ohio’s new flashing buggy light law. The nine pleaded “no contest” on Tuesday. Prison is already being discussed. From ashlandsource.com: Judge Good said he understands the argument. But he had a question for Mahlon J. Swartzentruber, who confirmed to Good on Tuesday that he is a leader within…

Amish in Other Ohio Counties Also Rejecting Buggy Light Law. What About a Re-do?

Amish in Other Ohio Counties Also Rejecting Buggy Light Law. What About a Re-do?

ByErik Wesner
5 Comments

Two weeks ago we learned of the first group of Amish cited for not adhering to the new Ohio buggy light law. And now, a second unsurprising report from another part of the state. Amish in two other Ohio counties have been cited for failure to comply with the law: ST. CLAIRSVILLE — A new law requiring Amish buggies and other animal-drawn vehicles to be…

As Expected: Amish Cited For Buggy Light Violations, Refuse To Pay Fines

ByErik Wesner
28 Comments

There’s nothing surprising about this. Well, maybe it is surprising to Representatives Scott Wiggam and Darrell Kick, creators of the new law requiring flashing lights on all horse-drawn vehicles in the state of Ohio. But if they had bothered to actually dig deep into this issue regarding the group it would predictably most effect (Swartzentruber Amish), it might not be so surprising. My suspicion is…

Amishman Sentenced For Sexual Abuse After Amish Community Reported Him

ByErik Wesner
5 Comments

From Bangor Daily News: HOULTON, Maine — A 29-year-old Sherman man, who is a member of the town’s Amish community, pleaded guilty to a sex crime Monday afternoon, while appearing in Houlton District Court. Rudy L. Miller was sentenced to five years in prison with all but nine months suspended by Judge Patrick Larson for the Class C felony of unlawful sexual contact. Miller was…

Footage Shows Passed-Out Amish Driver In Moving Buggy…Then Hits Police Car

ByErik Wesner
3 Comments

This story won’t make this guy’s parents proud….and unfortunately it’s not an isolated incident in this community (Geauga County, Ohio). A 21-year-old Amish male struck a police cruiser while passed out drunk in a moving buggy. Here’s the gist of what happened May 14 via WKYC: The horse didn’t come to a stop and continued past the officer’s vehicle as it turned eastbound onto Hague…

Indiana Barn Arsonist Couple Now Charged With Setting Fire To Amish School

Indiana Barn Arsonist Couple Now Charged With Setting Fire To Amish School

ByErik Wesner
4 Comments

Joseph Hershberger, 41, and Sherry Thomas, 32, had already been charged with eight counts of arson for barn fires in the Elkhart County area, including Amish-owned barns. The eight fires were started in southern Elkhart County and northern Kosciusko County periodically throughout 2021. Charges for the barn arsons were brought against the couple in December, and it sounds like they have admitted to the crimes….

ATF Seizes Guns From Lancaster Amish Farm; Owner Was Selling Without A License

ByErik Wesner
8 Comments

An Amish dairy farmer illegally selling firearms? A surprising story last week told of a Lancaster Amishman having an unspecified number of guns seized by ATF agents from his farm. From Lancaster Online: Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives seized firearms from a Leacock Township property earlier this month and an Amish farmer at the property acknowledged selling guns without a…

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Amish Pet Food Company Sales Shut Down By Judicial Order

ByErik Wesner
11 Comments

There’s a dispute ongoing between two raw pet food companies with ties to one another. Answers is the name of the established company; Amish farmers in PA have supplied it with raw materials for its foods for years. Kure is the upstart brand founded by some of those same Amish suppliers last year. Apparently two sisters who worked for Answers left the company and began…

Daniel Gingerich Surrenders Over 500 Dogs, Banned From Breeding Business

ByErik Wesner
5 Comments

This story happened several weeks ago, but is a follow up on the puppy mill case in Iowa covered here back in October. Breeder Daniel Gingerich of the Seymour, Iowa Amish community surrendered over 500 dogs in early November, and has been banned from breeding and selling dogs: Daniel Gingerich hoarded more than 500 dogs throughout his multiple properties in Seymour, Iowa, which were all…

Tennessee Amish Drug Case Update (& Video)

Tennessee Amish Drug Case Update (& Video)

ByErik Wesner
3 Comments

A few updates to last week’s news of an Amishman in the Ethridge, Tennessee community being caught with 25 pounds of marijuana. I also made a video on the story (below) which includes a number of the following points: The Amishman in question, Chris Appleby, was a convert to the group. According to this WKRN story, he arrived about seven years ago and joined the…