Staff
Wood County Prosecuting Attorney Paul A. Dobson graduated cum laude from the University of Toledo with a Bachelor of Education Degree in Secondary Education. He received his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law in 1994. Thereafter, he worked as a Bowling Green City Prosecutor until joining the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office in 1996. For a short time, he engaged in private practice in Toledo, Ohio. He returned to the Prosecutor’s Office in 2002 to resume, what he calls, the most rewarding job of his career.
During his tenure in the Criminal Division, Mr. Dobson has successfully prosecuted a wide range of crimes. He prosecuted multiple cases of embezzlement from local non-profit groups and charities. He prosecuted internet crime cases, including fraud and child pornography, convincing the courts to impose prison time for these deviant offenders. He has additionally prosecuted offenses such as Burglary, Robbery and Domestic Violence, as well as several Murder cases, including cold cases as far back as 1976.
In 2005, he was appointed by then-prosecutor Raymond C. Fischer as one of two Chief Assistants over the Criminal Division. In 2008, Mr. Dobson was elected as Wood County Prosecuting Attorney. In this capacity, Mr. Dobson has been active at the state level, representing Wood County as the governor’s appointee on the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission and as Secretary and Treasurer of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association. In 2014, he was elected by the membership of the OPAA to serve as its Vice-President. In 2017, Mr. Dobson will serve as the organization’s President.
Mr. Dobson continues his work to improve communication and accountability within the office. His guiding principles are truth and fairness in representing the public interest, rigorous prosecution of criminal offenders, and care and empathy for crime victims.
Annie L. Wilson, Administrative Director graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication as well as her Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She is currently an independently licensed clinician with the state of Ohio (LPCC). Her early career was spent in the business field of sales and marketing, and later with the completion of her Masters, her focus turned to the field of addiction studies. Ms. Wilson joined the office as the Addiction Response Collaborative (ARC) Program Coordinator where she assisted individuals and their families with resources and treatment options for those struggling with addiction. Most recently she transitioned into the role of Administrative Director where she is responsible for the overall day to day operations of the office.
Criminal Division
Pamela A. Gross, Chief Assistant graduated from Miami University with a double major in English Literature and Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs. She then received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Toledo College of Law. Ms. Gross worked as a general civil attorney in private practice for the first three years of her career. Later, she joined the Erie County Prosecutor’s Office as a felony prosecutor, where she worked for over eight years. During that time, she was awarded the Aiding in Children’s Excellence Award for her work with child sexual abuse cases. She joined the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office in 2019 as as an Assistant Prosecutor in the Criminal Division and was promoted to the Chief’s position in 2020.
Brian O. Boos, Deputy Chief Assistant graduated from the University of Toledo with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and received his law degree from the University of Akron College of Law. While in law school, Mr. Boos interned with the Domestic Violence Unit at the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office. Mr. Boos has been involved in felony criminal prosecutions since January of 2012 when he began his legal career as an Assistant Prosecutor with the Seneca County Prosecutor’s Office. He later joined the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office in 2015, where he became a Senior Assistant Prosecutor. In 2020 Mr. Boos was hired as an Assistant Prosecutor in the criminal division.
James Christopher Anderson, Assistant graduated from Wittenberg University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and received his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law. Mr. Anderson retired after working for thirty years at the Lucas County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office where he was the deputy chief of the Criminal Division for the last twelve years of his Lucas County career. He was one of the original members of the cold case homicide unit in Lucas County where he was known for his expertise in forensic sciences. He prosecuted more homicide cases than anyone else in the history of Lucas County. Mr. Anderson was inducted into the Homerun Hitters Club (National District Attorney’s Associations Hall of Fame) in 2007. He joined the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office in December, 2016 where he focuses on a wide variety of felonies and offers his expertise and knowledge to his fellow prosecutors.
Charles R. McDonald, Assistant graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and received his law degree from the Cleveland State University College of Law. While in law school, Mr. McDonald worked for the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, where he was recognized for his commitment to community service. Following graduation, he worked for the Toledo Public Defender’s Office before joining the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office in 2012. There, Mr. McDonald prosecuted serious felony cases, with a focus on crimes against children and the elderly. In 2023, Mr. McDonald was hired as an Assistant Prosecutor in the criminal division, and is the Chair of the Wood County Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Morgan L. Spitler, Assistant graduated from the University of Toledo with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and received her law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law. While in law school she interned with the Toledo Bar Association’s Pro Bono Services Office. Following graduation she worked as a general civil attorney for two years, which included work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and member of the parent representation panel for the Lucas County Juvenile Court representing parents and children in Lucas County Children Services dependency, neglect, and abuse cases. In 2021, Ms. Spitler was hired as an Assistant Prosecutor with the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office. In 2023, Ms. Spitler was hired as an Assistant Prosecutor in the criminal division.
Francis P. de la Serna, Assistant graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and received his law degree from the University of Akron School of Law. After graduation, he worked for the Toledo Legal Aid Society before joining the City of Toledo Prosecutor’s Office in 2018. He later joined the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office in 2021 as an Assistant Prosecutor in the criminal division. In 2024, Mr. de la Serna was hired as an Assistant Prosecutor in the criminal division.
David T. Harold, Chief Assistant- Appellate & Training graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Bowling Green State University in 1994, where he received the President’s Distinguished Service Award. He continued there and obtained his Masters in History in 1996. Mr. Harold then attended the University of Toledo College of Law, where he was Lead Articles Editor on the Law Review and received the Dean’s Award at his graduation in 2000. After graduation, Mr. Harold worked at the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office then clerked for Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger on both the Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Ohio. Mr. Harold also taught at St. John’s Jesuit High School in Toledo, Ohio where he was the December 2009 Toledo Blade Teacher of the Month. He then joined the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office in January of 2014 with his primary focus being appellate litigation and has served as Chief Assistant Prosecutor of the Appellate & Training Division since 2021. Mr. Harold was the recipient of the 2019 Outstanding Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Award presented by the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association.
Michelle Mossbarger, Paralegal graduated cum laude from the University of Toledo with a Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies. Ms. Mossbarger joined the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office in 2008 after working in a private law firm for four years. Ms. Mossbarger played an instrumental role in developing an information sharing system between law enforcement and the Prosecutor’s office. Additionally, she coordinates much of the pre-trial support work for the prosecutors and is also a certified mediator.
mmossbarger@woodcountyohio.gov
Doug Hartman, Senior Investigator graduated from the University of Toledo in 1991 with an Associate’s degree in Law Enforcement. He is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff & Command and the Police Executive Leadership College. Mr. Hartman retired from the Bowling Green Police Division in 2023 after serving nearly 31 years. During the last 12 years at BGPD, Mr. Hartman served as the Detective Sergeant. He has extensive training and experience in the area of criminal investigations.
Brynn C. Burr, Investigator graduated from The University of Toledo with an Associate’s degree in Law Enforcement and a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. Ms. Burr has worked in the child welfare arena for the last eighteen years. She has worked with local law enforcement and the court system and is also a trained forensic interviewer. Ms. Burr joined the Wood County Prosecutors office in 2016 as an Investigator to assist law enforcement and Job and Family Services working predominately on child abuse and elder abuse investigations throughout Wood County.
Civil Division
James A. Hoppenjans, Chief Assistant graduated from the University of Toledo with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and received his law degree, cum laude, from Widener University School of Law (now Widener University Commonwealth Law School) in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with an honors certificate in Constitutional and Administrative Law. While in law school, Mr. Hoppenjans served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Widener Law Journal, received the Outstanding Law and Government Institute Award, and was awarded “Best Brief” at the Fordham University School of Law securities moot court competition, among many other awards and accomplishments. Following graduation, he worked as a law clerk for Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt on Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court. Thereafter, Mr. Hoppenjans served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Thomas G. Saylor of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. In returning to Northwest Ohio, Mr. Hoppenjans joined the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office in 2018, where he practiced for several years in both trial and appellate litigation in the Criminal Division. In early 2023, Mr. Hoppenjans was appointed Chief of the Civil Division.
jhoppenjans@woodcountyohio.gov
Arlen de la Serna, Assistant graduated from the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Research. She attended the University of the Philippines College of Law while working as a legislative officer in the Philippine House of Representatives. In 1989, she immigrated to Ohio and obtained her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Toledo College of Law. Thereafter, she worked in the Lucas County Children Services, and later served as a staff attorney in the Wood County Common Pleas Court. Ms. de la Serna joined the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office in 2013 as Chief of the Civil Division.
Linda F. Holmes, Assistant graduated from the College of William and Mary with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Education and received her law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law. Ms. Holmes worked as a teacher of high school history and government for nine years before joining the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office in 1983 as an Assistant Juvenile Prosecutor. Shortly thereafter, she transferred to the Civil Division where she earned an Outstanding Service Award from Prosecutor Alan Mayberry in 2002.
Joyce C. Nowak, Assistant graduated from the University of Toledo with a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Social Thought and Political Science. Ms. Nowak worked as a trooper for the Ohio State Highway Patrol before returning to college to complete her degrees. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Toledo, College of Law in 2007. She started her law career in a general practice law firm and later worked as a staff attorney for Student Legal Services at BGSU. She joined the Civil Division of the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office in 2017.
William H. Dailey V, Assistant graduated from Wittenberg University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics. Mr. Dailey received his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law where he received two Public Service Commendations and worked for the City of Toledo Law Department, ABLE, and Judge Gene A. Zmuda. Following law school, Mr. Dailey worked as a criminal defense attorney before joining the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office in 2016 as an assistant prosecutor in the criminal division. In 2023, Mr. Dailey was hired as an Assistant Prosecutor in the civil division of the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office. Mr. Dailey currently serves as the chair of the Toledo Bar Association, Common Pleas Committee.
Juvenile Division
Charles S. Bergman, Chief Assistant graduated from Calvin College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and received his law degree from the University of Detroit-Mercy. Mr. Bergman served as Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Detroit and spent eight years in private practice before becoming an Assistant Prosecutor in Fulton County. Subsequently, Mr. Bergman joined the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office in 2008 where he was primarily responsible for prosecuting child abuse/neglect cases and adult protective services cases. In 2016, Mr. Bergman was appointed the Juvenile Division’s Chief. He is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, Juvenile Law Committee and serves on the county’s child abuse task force.
Walter M. Meneses, Assistant graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology/Management from Marietta College and received his law degree from New York Law School. Mr. Meneses served in the Navy Judge Advocate Corps for eight years in Virginia and Alaska before joining the Wood County Public Defender’s Office. He came to the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office in 2003 where he worked in the Criminal Division for several years before transferring to the Juvenile Division.
Wesley R. True, Assistant graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education from Bowling Green State University and received his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law. Mr. True served as an Assistant Prosecutor in Hancock County and spent three years in private practice before joining the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office in 2022.
Victim/Witness Services
Rebecca M. Von Sacken, Director graduated from University of Toledo with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work as well as her Master's in Social Work from Eastern Michigan University. She has worked in Child Welfare for 12 years and Developmental Disabilities for 4 years. She joined the Prosecutor's office in December 2023 as the Director of Victim/Witness Services.
Katelin A. McGowan, Assistant Director graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Bowling Green State University. Ms. McGowan made the Dean’s list several semesters while attending Bowling Green State University. She started with the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office as an intern for the Criminal Division in 2010 and was later hired as the Assistant Director for the Victim and Witness Services Division.