ZANESVILLE, Ohio (AVC News) — A Reynoldsburg man currently serving a prison sentence for a Franklin County theft has been sentenced to an additional five years in prison for crimes committed in Muskingum County.
Michael Riggle, 50, appeared before Muskingum County Common Pleas Court Judge Kelly Cottrill for sentencing in two separate cases involving burglary, theft, tampering with evidence and drug offenses.
Cottrill ordered Riggle’s five-year sentence to be served consecutively to the prison term he is currently serving for the Franklin County theft conviction.
Riggle has previous convictions for burglary, theft, breaking and entering, forgery, possession of drug abuse instruments and drug abuse.
One of the Muskingum County cases involved the theft of two Honda generators from a local business in September 2025.
According to prosecutors, Riggle rented a Ford F-150 and used it during the theft. Surveillance video showed Riggle entering the business and later returning to the truck with the generators.
The generators had Apple AirTags attached to them, which investigators later discovered had been abandoned at another location.
Riggle was convicted of burglary, theft and tampering with evidence in connection with the generator theft.
The second case began in May 2025 when Muskingum County Sheriff’s Deputy Garrett Frederici stopped a Honda Accord for a traffic violation.
According to prosecutors, Riggle appeared nervous during the traffic stop and gave deputies conflicting accounts about his travels. When asked to exit the vehicle, he told deputies that a glass narcotics pipe was inside the vehicle and that drugs were hidden inside a flashlight.
Deputies recovered the pipe, two used syringes and two flashlights. Prosecutors said one of the flashlights contained substances later confirmed to include 4.15 grams of methamphetamine and 0.27 grams of dipentylone, a synthetic stimulant.
Riggle was convicted of two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, possessing drug abuse instruments and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia.
Assistant Prosecutor Warren Edwards handled both cases.
Last Updated on September 29, 2026 by AVC News
