Hogan has long record of crimes

The murder suspect had been released from Mahoning County Jail five weeks before the homicide.
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- A 36-year-old Boardman man accused of murder in the death last month of a Struthers man has had run-ins with the law dating back more than 10 years.
Michael J. Hogan, of Forest Ridge Drive, has spent three stints in prison and several in Mahoning County Jail for theft, robbery, receiving stolen property and breaking and entering convictions.
He was indicted Thursday in the death of John K. Ruble Sr., 71, who died May 31, after he was run down by a car at the recycling center behind the township fire station at 6169 South Ave.
The driver, who police say was Hogan, had tried to steal the purse of Ruble's wife from the couple's car at about 1:30 p.m. as they deposited their recyclables. Ruble was run down as he tried to stop the thief.
Court files show Hogan with former addresses on East Judson and Hilton avenues in Youngstown, Oregon Trail in Boardman and McGaffney Avenue in Lowellville.
Police believe that a belt loop and hairs found on the underside of a Cadillac driven by Hogan were torn from Ruble. Police said witnesses to the homicide have identified the car and Hogan as its driver.
While Hogan now faces charges of murder and aggravated robbery, his criminal record dates back to at least 1989.
Hogan's criminal record
U The oldest records available on Hogan show that he was imprisoned on a Mahoning County theft charge from April 28, 1989, to Jan. 17, 1990, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction files show.
U In January 1991, Hogan pleaded guilty in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to two counts of theft and one count of breaking and entering and was sentenced to serve one year in state prison, county court records show. The theft charges had originated in 1990 in county court in Boardman; the breaking and entering was a 1990 case from Youngstown Municipal Court.
U In June 1991, Hogan was found guilty of robbery by a common pleas jury and sentenced to serve between five and 15 years in prison, to be served concurrently with his January sentence, court records show. The case originated in county court in Austintown. He was paroled March 18, 1997, correction department records show.
Sentenced again
U In April 1997, he pleaded no contest to a charge of receiving stolen property in county court in Boardman, was found guilty and was sentenced to serve 180 days in jail.
U In July 1997, he pleaded guilty in common pleas court to theft and two counts of receiving stolen property and was ordered to serve 18 months in prison with 105 days' credit for time served. The charges originated in April in Youngstown and Struthers municipal courts. Several other charges against Hogan were dismissed at that time in exchange for his guilty plea.
U According to correction department records, Hogan was placed in prison July 30, 1997, and paroled in September 2000 for robbery, theft and receiving stolen property.
U On Dec. 21, 2000, Hogan was booked in the county jail on a charge of receiving stolen property and was released Jan. 4.
Hogan assaulted
U Twenty-five days later, Hogan was picked up on a parole violation stemming from a robbery case and held at the county jail until March 1, 2001, jail records show.
It was during this stint in the jail that Hogan had a run-in with mob hit man Mark A. Batcho. Batcho, 35, of Campbell, entered a no contest plea to charges that he assaulted Hogan and was sentenced to serve 180 days concurrent with the 18-year sentence he already was serving for the 1996 attempted murder of county Prosecutor Paul J. Gains.
At the time of the assault, Batcho was in the county lockup as he awaited trial in the murder of a Boardman man.
U Hogan was arrested again April 1, 2001, for parole violation and was incarcerated another 24 days.
U In June 2001, Hogan pleaded no contest to charges of receiving stolen property, assault, resisting arrest and attempted possession of drugs in county court in Boardman, was found guilty and was sentenced to serve 180 days in jail and 12 months' probation. He was jailed until Dec. 19, 2001, on those charges, jail records show.
Charges still pending
U Outstanding 2001 traffic, drug paraphernalia and open container charges are pending against him in county court, Boardman.
U In February of this year, he was accused of violating the June 2001 probation by failing to report and failing to pay fines. He was ordered in April to make monthly payments and to report to probation officers monthly and was cleared for release. He was released April 26, according to jail records.
U In March this year, he was indicted by a Mahoning County grand jury on a charge of possession of cocaine. He posted a $3,000 bond upon his arrest and was released. He has pleaded innocent to the crime.
U Hogan was picked up on the day of Ruble's death for a parole violation stemming from a robbery case and is again in jail.
viviano@vindy.com