Former sheriff Chance finds work as a laborer

To help defray the cost of halfway housing, 25 percent of wages are collected.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
AUSTINTOWN -- Ex-Mahoning County Sheriff Phil Chance has found a job working as a laborer at Vivo III Metal Trading Co., the owner says.
"He's doing good. He works -- I have no problem with him," business owner Steve Vivo III said Monday. "This is no prima donna place -- this is a place you get dirty."
Vivo said Chance is being paid $7 an hour.
Chance, 55, of Youngstown's West Side was released Sept. 21 from the Federal Correctional Institution in Milan, Mich., and transferred to Oriana House, a halfway facility in Akron. The former sheriff entered prison Jan. 24, 2000, to serve a 71-month sentence after being convicted of racketeering crimes. His sentence was reduced because he earned "good time" while incarcerated. His prison commitment ends March 19.
Inmates typically go to a halfway facility six months before their prison commitment ends. Chance is expected to complete about 90 days at the Akron facility before returning home, where he'll be on house arrest with work privileges until March 19.
Employment was required
As part of Chance's re-entry into society, he had to find full-time employment after an orientation period at the halfway facility. If Chance hadn't found a job, he would have been sent back to prison.
Vivo said he's "not political" and didn't know anything about Chance's situation when Chance's son inquired about a job for his father. "I said 'As long as a guy does his job, that's all I care about,'" Vivo recalled telling Chance's son.
Chance commutes to Vivo Metal Trading at 340 N. Meridian Road each day and returns to the halfway facility each evening, Vivo said.
Vivo said his small scrap-metal business opened around a year ago, and before that, he owned U.S. Trading Company on Poland Avenue. At the Austintown business, Vivo buys aluminum cans, copper, brass and similar nonferrous materials -- not scrap iron, such as cars.
The materials are prepared and packaged for shipment to smelters or refineries, Vivo said. He does a lot of the work himself and has three laborers.
Oriana House referred questions about Chance to Howard Hufford, federal Bureau of Prisons spokesman in Philadelphia. He declined Monday to discuss Chance's employment.
Chance's expenses
Hufford did say that Chance must give up 25 percent of his gross wages to help pay for the cost of his housing at the halfway residence. Chance also must pay his own health insurance, Hufford said.
Chance will soon be given home visitation privileges, if he hasn't already, Richard J. Billak, chief executive officer at Community Corrections Association, said Monday.
CCA, a halfway facility on Market Street, had been contacted by the BOP to house Chance but because CCA won a defamation lawsuit against Chance, the decision was made to send him to the halfway facility in Akron.
Billak said home visits are part of a graduated release program. Toward the end of Chance's 90 days at the halfway facility, he'll be allowed overnight stays at home on weekends.
"When they get back on Sunday nights, they have their breath tested for alcohol and urine tested for drugs," Billak said. "The federal Bureau of Prisons has a zero tolerance for alcohol and drugs."
Billak said that, for some inmates, the transition period after federal prison is very difficult.
"The temptation is there because there's less restrictions than in prison," he said. "Psychologically you think 'I'm a free man,' but you're not."
Once Chance's prison commitment ends in March, he will be on two years' supervised release and must do 100 hours of community service. His probation officer will determine the type of community service.
meade@vindy.com