Sunday, October 19, 2003
Guilty plea in sex case
YOUNGSTOWN -- Frank Wilczynski, 62, of West Dennick Street, pleaded guilty Friday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to one count of gross sexual imposition. Prosecutors are recommending a five-year prison sentence when he is sentenced later by Judge Maureen A. Cronin.
Wilczynski was indicted by a county grand jury in April 2002 on one count of rape and two counts of gross sexual imposition. The rape and additional sexual imposition charges were dismissed in exchange for his plea, said assistant prosecutor Dawn Krueger.
Authorities say Wilczynski had sexual contact with an 11-year-old girl in January 2002.
Charged with assault
WARREN -- A 27-year-old Howland Township man has pleaded innocent to a felonious assault charge. Antonio Dukes entered the plea Friday in Warren Municipal Court. He is being held in jail in lieu of a $40,000 bond.
Howland Police Chief Paul Monroe said Dukes was arrested Thursday afternoon. Police think he fired shots at his cousin's car. Reports state police were called to Dukes' Candace S.E. home around 4:30 p.m. Thursday after shots were fired at his cousin Marco Dukes' car. No injuries were reported.
Charges in bank fraud
CANFIELD -- Two area residents face federal charges for an alleged check-kiting scheme in late 1999 and early 2000 that cost National City Bank about $1 million, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio announced Friday.
Kenneth M. Heyman, 42, of South Broad Street, Canfield, is charged with bank fraud and Jill A. Rogers, 54, of Valley Drive, East Liverpool is charged with misapplication of bank funds.
Heyman controlled accounts in the name of Tri State Holdings Inc. at National City, Potters Bank and Sky Bank, and a personal account at Northern Hancock Bank and Trust. Rogers was a manager at National City's Oakmont branch in East Liverpool.
Heyman allegedly wrote checks on his business and personal accounts that he used to buy official bank checks through Rogers. The charges say that Heyman instructed Rogers to hold his checks because there were insufficient funds to cover them.
The U.S attorney's office did not announce what penalty they face if convicted.
Beaver zoning meeting
NORTH LIMA -- The Beaver Township Zoning Commission will have a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at its offices to consider amending its zoning ordinance regarding permitted uses in industrial districts. The proposed amendment can be reviewed during business hours.
Trooper wins award
LISBON -- Trooper Kenneth A. Metz of the Lisbon post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol received an ACE Award at ceremonies in Columbus this week. The ACE Award is for excellence in auto larceny enforcement, patrol officials said. Metz has recovered six stolen vehicles so far in 2003 and arrested people suspected in each theft.
Metz joined the patrol in May 1990 and has served at the patrol posts in Lisbon and Warren. He was the patrol's state trooper of the year in 2001 and has been named post trooper of the year five times.
Metz lives in Warren with his wife, Tracey, and son, Allan.
Crews damage gas line
LORDSTOWN -- Construction crews digging up state Route 45 for a new sewer line hit and damaged a gas line.
Village police said crews from Kirila Contractors hit the line, underneath state Route 45 and Hallock-Young Road, about 10:18 a.m. Friday, causing a gas leak. Fire and police officials were on hand to direct traffic and shut down the line.
A police spokesman said there were no injuries and no evacuations.
Candidates forum set
BOARDMAN -- The Boardman Council PTA will hold a forum at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Boardman High School cafeteria for school board and township trustee candidates.
Caught on videotape
STRUTHERS -- Police are reviewing a videotape that shows two men throwing a rock through a window at One Stop Depot, 1008 Youngstown-Poland Road, early Friday and then stealing cigarettes.
The owner of a nearby business noticed the broken window and heard the burglar alarm sounding about 5:50 a.m.
The video indicates that the men entered the building at 4:47 a.m., grabbed an undetermined number of cartons of cigarettes and exited the building about one minute later.
To fill township clerk post
NEW SPRINGFIELD -- Springfield Township trustees will meet in special session at 10 a.m. today to fill the unexpired term of the township clerk. The meeting will be at the township administration building.