City man gets 21 years for assault and robbery

YOUNGSTOWN -- Antwon L. Lanier, whom a jury convicted last week of felonious assault and aggravated robbery, has been sentenced to 21 years in prison by Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
A jury found Lanier, 23, of Kenneth Avenue, Youngstown, guilty of robbing Elijah J. Jackson of Magnolia Avenue at gunpoint, then shooting him in the abdomen July 27 on Market Street. Police have said the men had an ongoing feud over a woman.
Judge Durkin gave Lanier maximum consecutive sentences of 10 years for the aggravated robbery and eight years for felonious assault. Lanier also must serve a mandatory three-year term for firearm specifications, meaning he used a gun to commit the crimes.
Lanier didn't speak before sentencing. His attorney, James S. Gentile, said Lanier wants to appeal. The judge said he will appoint a lawyer for Lanier, who is indigent.
Lanier was scheduled to go to trial in February, but Judge Durkin declared a mistrial before opening statements were given because witnesses said they had received death threats. Lanier was indicted in March on five counts of intimidation of a victim or witness in a criminal case and one count of retaliation. Trial on those charges is scheduled to begin July 12.
Lanier also has another trial pending before Judge Durkin on a kidnapping charge. A Warren woman accused Lanier of forcing her from a South Side bar at gunpoint last September, assaulting her and taking $6 from her. Trial is set for July 5.
Judge Durkin told Gentile and assistant County Prosecutor Gina Arnaut to schedule a pretrial hearing in the next week so he can determine whether Lanier should remain in Mahoning County Jail to await his next trial or be sent to Lorain Correctional Institute in Grafton.