Judge gives city man probation in case

Lawyers said the man wears a bulletproof vest much of the time.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A city man with a limited criminal history and who is being treated for mental health problems was sentenced to five years' probation on a drug trafficking charge.
Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court discussed the situation at length with attorneys and Antonio Cleveland, 24, of Williamson Avenue.
Attorneys said police found crack cocaine in Cleveland's sock in November 2005. He had been sitting in a car parked in a fire lane at a Boardman supermarket and became belligerent with the Boardman police officer who told him to move the car.
Mental history considered
Referring to court documents, Judge Krichbaum told Cleveland, "It looks like you were a real jerk -- profane, defiant and resistant to the officer."
Judge Krichbaum took into account, however, that Cleveland has little criminal history, is a Marine veteran and is being counseled and medicated for mental health problems.
He said medical reports characterize Cleveland as "guarded, suspicious, depressed and socially isolated."
Cleveland's lawyer, Albert Palombaro, said Cleveland was kidnapped and shot earlier in his life, and he wears a bulletproof vest much of the time.
He also told the judge Cleveland comes from a good family, and his parents are involved in his life and are monitoring his actions. He said Cleveland's biggest problem is associating with the wrong people.
The case and punishment
Palombaro said Cleveland was a passenger in the car his girlfriend parked in the fire lane and the officer asked him several times to move the car.
Palombaro said Cleveland doesn't have a driver's license, so he was reluctant to move the car. After he did, the officer asked for his driver's license and also checked the registration. The plate and car registrations didn't match.
Palombaro and J. Michael Thompson, assistant prosecuting attorney, said probation was appropriate in the case.
Judge Krichbaum commended Thompson for his probation recommendation.
"The state comes in and recommends people go to prison, so the state should also have the courage to recommend probation where appropriate," he said.
Judge Krichbaum also ordered Cleveland to maintain a regimen of mental health treatment. He warned him that if he violated the probation, he will go to prison for at least 18 months.