WARREN 2 women indicted on perjury charges

Both women were released on $5,000 bond and are scheduled to return to court next week.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A 64-year-old city woman and her 18-year-old granddaughter, who told police they were victims of a robbery last year, have been indicted on perjury charges.
The Trumbull County grand jury secretly indicted Mary Lee Howell, 64, and Dawniquica M. Howell, 18, both of McMyler Street, on Wednesday.
They were arrested Thursday and taken to Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
Mary Lee Howell faces one count of perjury and one count of falsification. Dawniquica Howell faces two counts of perjury. Both pleaded innocent and were released on $5,000 bond.
Mary Lee Howell is due back in court Monday and Dawniquica Howell is scheduled to return Wednesday, court officials said.
Said they were victims
Warren Detective Jeff Hoolihan said the women told police they were victims of a robbery that took place Nov. 17, 2001, in the parking lot of the Fast Check on West Market Street.
"Mary Lee Howell filed a police report saying she was driving the car and Dawniquica was a passenger," Hoolihan said. "Dawniquica made a positive identification on a suspect. The suspect was arrested and charged."
Man indicted
Police and court records say that William Amburgui, 25, of Newton Drive, Newton Falls, was indicted on two counts of robbery. His case is pending, says Atty. Diane Barber, an assistant county prosecutor.
Dawniquica Howell testified during a preliminary hearing in municipal court that she witnessed the robbery and that Amburgui was the person she saw rob Mary Lee Howell. Mary Lee Howell also testified under oath.
Hoolihan said, however, that Atty. Matthew Pentz, who represents Amburgui, contacted him and said that Amburgui denied robbing the two women.
Pentz could not be reached to comment.
"We were able to get security videotape from Fast Check," Hoolihan said. "The tape was fuzzy, so we took it to the NASA Research Center in Cleveland and asked them to enhance it for us."
Hoolihan said that when the tape was returned, detectives were able to spot Amburgui next to the Howells' car, but neither Mary Lee Howell nor Dawniquica Howell was in the car.
"The videotape showed one person in the car and it was not Mary Lee or Dawniquica," Hoolihan said. He said the woman who was in the car is Mary Lee Howell's daughter.
Admitted lying
The detective said that after he saw the videotape, he contacted the Howells and they admitted lying. He declined to say why the two women made up the story about being robbed.
"The case is still pending, so I can't comment," Hoolihan said. "However, I want people to know that one of the biggest tasks of an investigator is to seek the truth, and when people lie to police, the court and grand jury, we take that very seriously, and they will have to suffer the consequences.
sinkovich@vindy.com