James Scaff sentenced for stealing police ammunition and for multiple other thefts

Posted on 1/29/2024

Defendant: James Scaff

James Scaff was sentenced on Jan. 25 to eight years and nine months in prison for his role in multiple break-ins and thefts in March and April 2023, and for illegally possessing firearms.

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Kimberly Cocroft presided over the hearing. Franklin County Prosecutors John Gripshover and Thomas Stoltman recommended a lengthy sentence due to the serious nature of Scaff’s offenses and his criminal history, which includes the theft of multiple guns.

On March 24, 2023, Scaff, 33, and Christopher Lee Kimmel, 37, both Columbus residents, broke into a warehouse on Distribution Drive on Columbus’ west side and then stole seven generators and more than $70,000 worth of appliances using a stolen delivery truck.

On March 30, 2023, Scaff broke into a warehouse on Georgesville Road on the west side by himself and, using a stolen truck, stole $3,492 worth of appliances.

On April 2, 2023, Scaff and Kimmel broke into another west side warehouse, where they again stole a delivery truck, this time using it to steal two motorcycles and 162,000 rounds of rifle ammunition valued at more than $64,000 that was scheduled to be delivered to the Columbus Division of Police.

On April 4, 2023, officers with the Grove City Police Department arrested Scaff for having a handgun and an AR15 assault rifle in his vehicle. Scaff was not allowed to possess firearms due to a previous burglary conviction (involving the theft of firearms).

Scaff pleaded guilty Nov. 8 to a total of 13 counts including breaking and entering, grand theft, receiving stolen property, tampering with evidence and having a weapon under disability.
Kimmel pleaded guilty on Dec. 1 to multiple charges related to the two thefts he was involved in. Judge Cocroft, following a joint recommendation of Kimmel’s defense attorney and Prosecutors Gripshover and Stoltman, immediately sentenced Kimmel to six years in prison.

“These two men were involved in multiple break-ins and thefts, including one involving a massive amount of ammunition meant for the Columbus Division of Police,” said Anthony Pierson, deputy chief counsel for the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office. “Columbus will be a little safer having both of them behind bars for the next several years.”