YOUNGSTOWN 3 sentenced for robbing woman

The woman was robbed as she got off a bus on her way home from work.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Three city residents were sent to prison Tuesday for robbing a woman two years ago.
Terrance Hymes, 32, of East Ravenwood Avenue; Tabitha Barnette, 25, of West Judson Street; and Tennielle Waller, 23, of West Auburndale Avenue, each had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery.
Judge Maureen A. Cronin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court sentenced each one to three years in prison.
Barnette received an additional three years for using a firearm, while Hymes and Waller also were sentenced to one year each for firearm violations.
Under Ohio law, the firearm sentences must be served consecutive to any other sentences. That means Barnette will serve a total of six years, and the others will do four years.
What happened
Kelly Johns, assistant prosecutor, said the three were riding in a car May 18, 2001, when they stopped to rob a woman who was getting off a bus.
Hymes was the driver and Barnette was the one who pointed a gun at the victim and robbed her, which is why she got a longer firearm sentence, Johns said.
Barnette "suffers from a very low IQ" and has a long history of drug abuse, said her lawyer, Mark Carfolo. Barnette pleaded with the judge for help with those problems, but the judge wasn't swayed.
"Here was a woman who was just coming home from work, getting off a bus, and you put a gun to her," Judge Cronin said. She called Barnette "a little con artist."
Contempt charge
Barnette's mother, Yolanda Barnette, was taken out of the courtroom by deputy sheriffs and arrested on a contempt of court charge stemming from allegations that she repeatedly talked out loud during the hearing and refused to sit down after being told by the judge.
Hymes also was sentenced for unrelated charges of aggravated robbery, kidnapping and felonious assault stemming from a May 12, 2001, break-in at a Youngstown home.
Judge Cronin sentenced him to four years for those charges, which will be served consecutive to his time for the other charges.
bjackson@vindy.com