YOUNGSTOWN Former Traficant witness indicted on drug charge

Kidwell recently pleaded guilty to passing bad checks.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A 42-year-old man who testified on behalf of former U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. during his federal corruption trial is in trouble with the law.
A Mahoning County grand jury indicted Brian K. Kidwell of Youngstown-Kingsville Road in Vienna on a felony count of possession of cocaine Thursday.
The indictment said Kidwell used, obtained or possessed no more than one gram of crack cocaine on or about Oct. 27, 2002.
Kidwell pleaded guilty two weeks ago to two counts of passing bad checks in Girard Municipal Court. He was placed on one year's probation and ordered to make restitution to Cortland Bank. Kidwell wrote two checks worth $350 in April 2002.
Traficant, who is serving an eight-year federal prison sentence, called Kidwell as a witness during his corruption trial last year.
Gratuity
Real estate developer J.J. Cafaro testified at Traficant's trial that he handed the then-congressman $13,000 in cash as they drove around Youngstown State University on Nov. 14, 1998. Cafaro eventually pleaded guilty to giving Traficant an illegal gratuity in exchange for the congressman's help in promoting Cafaro's business.
Kidwell testified that Traficant left YSU that day with a man who wasn't Cafaro, got into his pickup truck, and the pair went to Traficant's office in Boardman.
Kidwell also was at the center of an incident regarding a $2,900 welding device that Cafaro said he gave Traficant as an illegal gratuity. Traficant contended he gave the device to Kidwell to build aluminum trailers for Cafaro's business. But Kidwell admitted that he had no contract to do the work from Cafaro's company.
Traficant had wanted for days during the trial to have the device brought to Cleveland to be used as evidence, but it never arrived. Kidwell testified that it was on his property, but later said that three men, whom he believed were FBI agents, forcibly took it. The device was never found, and it was never reported stolen.
Other indictments
The grand jury also indicted these people Thursday:
UJoshua M. Middleton, 29, Fourth Street, Struthers; carrying a concealed weapon.
UDarlene Schofield, 22, Wildwood Drive, Youngstown; three counts of aggravated vehicular assault.
UDwayne E. Scott, 37, Mahoning County Justice Center and Unity Road, New Springfield; robbery, theft, possession of cocaine.
UJeremy M. Bowles Sr., 24, Westchester Drive, Austintown; domestic violence.
UMark D. Hopkins, 31, Mahoning County Justice Center and Victor Avenue, Youngstown; carrying a concealed weapon.
UAaron S. Anzio, 20, Mahoning County Justice Center and Lawrence Avenue, Ellwood City, Pa.; theft.
skolnick@vindy.com