Aponte sentenced to prison for June 2005 shooting

YOUNGSTOWN — A defendant in a rolling gunbattle in which one person died and three others, including himself, were injured on the city’s East Side on June 30, 2005, has been sentenced to four years in state prison.

William Aponte, 44, of Liberty Road, received the sentence today from Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, who adhered to the prosecution’s sentencing recommendation.

Originally, Aponte was indicted on a murder charge in the death of Deandre B. Edwards, 18, of Woodcrest Avenue, and on charges of felonious assault and discharging a firearm at or into a habitation in the woundings of Ruth Slattery, 93, and James Christian, 17, who were shot in their right legs.

For the complete story, see Wednesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com.