MAHONING COUNTY Man denies he violated parole

A final hearing on the probation violation will be April 27.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Forrest Rupp Jr. could be headed back to prison if authorities can prove he sexually assaulted a woman last month.
Rupp, 24, of Boardman, pleaded guilty in June 2003 to obstructing justice and was later sentenced to three years in prison. He was granted judicial release in November, after serving about 90 days.
Rupp had admitted helping Martin L. Koliser in the hours after Koliser fatally shot Youngstown Patrolman Michael T. Hartzell in April 2003. Koliser is on death row for the killing.
According to court documents, Rupp has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman, which would be a violation of the terms of his probation. Rupp has not been charged criminally with the assault.
Based on the allegation, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority filed a motion that Rupp's probation be extended or revoked.
What attorney says
At a hearing Thursday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, Rupp's attorney, Thomas Zena, said there is probable cause to believe Rupp violated terms of his probation, but that Rupp denies doing anything wrong.
Zena said the mere fact that the allegation was lodged against Rupp is reason enough for Judge James C. Evans to find probable cause on the violation. He waived a probable cause hearing Thursday.
A hearing will be April 27 before Judge Evans to determine whether a violation actually occurred. If it did, the judge can either extend Rupp's probation, or revoke it and send him back to prison.
"My client deeply contests the allegation against him," Zena said. "We are denying that any criminal conduct has occurred."
Rupp will remain in the county jail until the next hearing.
During Koliser's trial last year, Rupp testified that he picked up Koliser at the WRTA station downtown hours after Hartzell was shot and took him to a friend's house, where Koliser showered and put on clean clothes.
Rupp said he disposed of Koliser's dirty clothes, then gave Koliser his car, which Koliser drove to Florida, where he was caught the next day.
bjackson@vindy.com