COURT Man gets probation for drug conviction

He could have received 11 years in prison.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Alesio P. Guerrieri of Boardman is going to have another chance after all to get his life together instead of spending time in prison.
Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court suspended Guerrieri's one-year prison term for trafficking in cocaine and placed him on five years' probation.
Judge Krichbaum sentenced Guerrieri, 51, of Oakridge Drive to prison March 1. Before he could be taken from the county jail to prison, however, his lawyer, David Betras, filed a motion for early release and reconsideration of sentence with the judge.
The judge had a hearing on the motion a few days later, reviewed the statements of defense counsel and Guerrieri, looked over letters of recommendation and reviewed again the presentence report prepared by the Ohio Adult Parole Authority.
After consideration of that information, the judge determined Guerrieri would be put on probation instead of going to prison.
Guilty pleas
Guerrieri pleaded guilty to three reduced charges of trafficking in cocaine in January. Police reports said he sold cocaine between May 25 through July 14 last year.
Guerrieri told Judge Krichbaum at his sentencing that he had jeopardized his family and his job, and he promised he wouldn't appear in his court again if given probation.
The judge also had fined Guerrieri $1,000 and suspended his driver's license for a year, but the judge changed that to allow Guerrieri to have driving privileges to go to work.
The judge said if Guerrieri violates his probation, he could send him to prison for more than 11 years, which is the maximum time he could have served if the cocaine trafficking penalties ran consecutively.