Dante Tate sentenced in Medina Court

MEDINA COUNTY, Ohio⎯Dante Tate, one of three men who have been charged in events associated with the death of Bluffton police officer Dominic Francis on March 31, 2022, has been sentenced to two years in prison.

On July 6, the 19-year-old pled guilty to two charges⎼failure to comply with an order of a police officer and receiving stolen property⎼and was sentenced on Monday, August 8, in Medina County Court.

Tate still faces charges in Hancock County, as do two other men. Police reports say the three men were in the vehicle that killed Officer Francis while he was deploying stop sticks on I-75 at Bluffton.

Emin Johnson and Zachary Love were taken into custody in Hancock County on March 31 following a manhunt. Law enforcement officials report that Tate stole a Toyota Prius outside of Bluffton, resulting in another chase. Tate was stopped at SR-57 in Elyria later that day.