Ringleader Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Robbery and Kidnapping Following Violent 2019 Assault on Ohio Amish Family

Bradford Hosler admits to kidnapping and robbery charges in a 2019 stun gun attack and attempted abduction of an 8-year-old Amish boy in Ohio.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 20, 2026, 3:39 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Herald

Judicial Resolution for Leader of Violent Home Invasion

The legal proceedings following a brutal 2019 assault on a rural Ohio family have reached a significant milestone with a formal admission of guilt. Bradford Hosler, identified by law enforcement as the primary coordinator of the attack, entered a plea to charges of aggravated robbery and kidnapping in Geauga County Common Pleas Court. The case stems from a harrowing incident in Middlefield Township where a group of men targeted an Amish home and business, utilizing physical violence to demand cash from the residents. By pleading guilty, Hosler avoids a lengthy trial while acknowledging his central role in a crime that shocked the local community for its specific targeting of a traditionally pacifist group.

Strategic Violence and the Attempted Abduction of a Minor

The details of the October 2019 incident reveal a calculated level of aggression aimed at the most vulnerable members of the household. Prosecutors asserted that Hosler utilized a stun gun to subdue both a father and his 8-year-old son during the robbery. In a particularly disturbing turn, the suspects attempted to abduct the young boy, who was restrained and threatened while his home was ransacked. According to investigators, the child managed to escape the immediate grasp of his captors and fled across an open field to return to his father. This element of the crime, involving the attempted kidnapping of a minor, has remained a focal point of the state's case against the four defendants.

Exploiting the Trusted Role of an Amish Taxi Driver

The investigation into the group's methodology uncovered a troubling breach of community trust that facilitated the targeted burglary. Authorities believe that one of the accomplices, Ricky Lee Martin, used his employment as a taxi driver for the Amish community to identify lucrative targets. By scouting businesses and residences while providing transportation services, Martin was allegedly able to assess the potential value of various properties for the group's criminal enterprise. This exploitation of a necessary community service allowed the perpetrators to plan a robbery that ultimately netted approximately 5,000 dollars in cash before they fled the scene.