YOUNGSTOWN Probationer faces possibility of prison

Charles Gillam said he's still dependent on drugs.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A Poland Township man who avoided prison last year for breaking into garages and cars faces a hearing to determine whether he violated probation.
Charles Gillam, 32, of Clingan Road faces one to five years in prison for violating terms of his probation, said Jay Macejko, an assistant Mahoning County prosecutor. A hearing will be at 9:30 a.m. May 10 before Judge James C. Evans of common pleas court.
In June 2000, after Gillam pleaded guilty to burglary, Judge Evans placed him on three years' probation. Gillam and his brother, Richard Gillam, were charged in a rash of vehicle and garage break-ins in Poland Township.
Still in effect: The probation does not expire until June 14, 2003, court records show. The records say Charles Gillam was arrested March 31 in Youngstown on charges of theft, vandalism and misuse of credit cards. The charges are pending in Youngstown Municipal Court.
Macejko said Gillam grabbed an armload of mail from a mail truck in the city. Contained in the mail were seven credit cards, which Gillam subsequently attempted to use.
At his sentencing last summer, Gillam said that he struggles with drug addiction and that the brothers had committed the crimes to support their drug habits.
During a brief hearing Tuesday, Gillam said he's still drug dependent and that's what caused him to steal the mail. His lawyer, Albert Palombaro, did not contest that there is probable cause to believe Gillam violated his probation.
The hearing in May will be to determine whether he violated his probation and whether he should be imprisoned or have his probation modified. He is being held in the county jail without bond in the meantime.
Brother locked up: Richard Gillam, also of Clingan Road, was sentenced to five years in prison in July 2000. He had pleaded guilty to burglary and theft.
Charles Gillam's sentence was lighter because authorities said he participated in only one of the burglaries, which happened in January 2000 in the area of Thunderbird Drive, Leland Court, Spitler Road and Burgess Lake Drive.