gvogrin@tribtoday.com
Staff photo / Guy Vogrin
Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Ronald J. Rice and his magistrate Beth Aurillio survey Riceâs third-floor courtroom, which will be the scene of the first trial in more than 11 months at the courthouse in Warren. The jurors will be spread out beyound the regular box because of the social-distancing guidelines imposed last March because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
WARREN For the first time in almost a year, the Trumbull County Courthouse is scheduled to be the scene of a criminal jury trial.
In fact, two trials are on the docket to start today as court officials readied courtrooms so potential jurors could be spread at least 6 feet apart and other room is made for potential witnesses, media members, the defendant and lawyers.
gvogrin@tribtoday.com
WARREN A 32-year-old Niles man is suing the city of Warren, its police department, the police chief and several unnamed officers for an alleged false arrest in 2019.
An attorney for Bryant Lee Moore of 26 Valencia Drive, Niles, filed a federal civil rights complaint in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court on Feb. 4. The complaint claims his constitutional rights were violated because he was “unlawfully, without probable cause and due to his race of black American, detained and incarcerated” on Feb. 6, 2019, by police officers on warrants for two counts of felony assault.
According to the suit filed by Moore’s attorney, Gilbert Rucker, the plaintiff voluntarily reported to the city police department upon hearing of his outstanding warrants and presented a valid alibi to prove his innocence. Despite this action, Trumbull County jail records show Moore, who also gave a Williamsburg Street NW address in Warren, to be incarcerated from 6:22 p.m. Feb. 6 until
CLEVELAND Three Warren men arrested as part of a massive drug investigation last fall have pleaded guilty to federal felony charges for their part in the illegal operation.
Also, a Youngstown man was arrested this month by federal authorities on charges of distributing drugs in Warren in a separate case. Tyron Scott, 23, who was indicted last September on distributing cocaine charges, was arrested Saturday, according to reports.
According to court records, Scott has been on the run since Sept. 3 and wanted on a sealed federal indictment.
These men participated in change-of-plea hearings last week in federal court:
l Marcus Williams, 27, of Warren, on Feb. 2 pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, and heroin and distribution of crack cocaine. Williams submitted to a background report before sentencing, which is scheduled at 10 a.m. June 2 before federal Judge Christopher Boyko.
gvogrin@tribtoday.com
Staff photo / Guy Vogrin
Damien L. Fish of Champion, right, appears in court Wednesday with a neck brace as he pleads guilty to a felony charge for the Sept. 23 accident that killed a Howland man. At left is his attorney David Rouzzo.
HOWLAND A Champion man on Wednesday pleaded guilty to criminal charges linked to driving his 2006 Honda Civic into a Howland home the night of Sept. 23, 2020, crushing a man and his dog to their deaths in the basement.
Damien L. Fish, 24, of 5265 N. Park Ave. Extension, appeared with his attorney David Rouzzo before Trumbull Common Pleas Judge W. Wyatt McKay, who will sentence Fish after a background investigation.
WARREN A Youngstown man was given a 30-month prison sentence Wednesday for his part in a police chase last fall that injured three law enforcement officers.
Geovanny Pastrana Davila, 36, of North Jackson Street, Youngstown, pleaded guilty to felony charge of failure to comply with order or signal of a police officer, and having a firearm as a felon. Judge W. Wyatt McKay ordered Davila to serve consecutive sentences because of the seriousness of the offenses and the danger caused to the public.
Defense attorney David T. Rouzzo said his client is a native of Puerto Rico and speaks very little English, so Rouzzo told the judge he went over with Davila his constitutional rights before the change of plea hearing.