Sentencing date reset in case of bomb materials

Telshaw faces a federal charge if he refuses the plea
agreement on state charges.

By ED RUNYAN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — A former Youngstown man will be back in court Thursday to see if he can withdraw his guilty plea for having a large supply of bomb-making materials in his home.

Randy Telshaw, 55, of Canfield, pleaded guilty May 21 to illegal assembly or possession of chemicals or substances to manufacture explosive devices, related to items such as 80-pound bags of ammonium nitrate and a manual for making a bomb in his Ferndale Avenue home in July 2006.

He was scheduled for sentencing Tuesday, but he filed a motion a week ago through his attorney, Jeffrey Limbian, asking to withdraw the plea.

On Tuesday, Telshaw, along with a member of his church and Limbian, discussed the case in chambers with Judge Maureen A. Cronin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court and Mike McBride, an assistant county prosecutor. Afterward, the sentencing was reset for 9 a.m. Thursday.

In documents Telshaw filed with the clerk of courts office June 8, Telshaw told Judge Cronin he agreed to plead guilty because his previous attorney, Mark A. Carfolo, told him he was facing federal charges if he didn’t accept the plea agreement on the state charges.

“I’ve discussed this at great length with family members and with friends at church,” Telshaw wrote to the judge.

Federal charges

Lt. Kevin Johnson of the Youngstown Fire Department said his understanding was that Telshaw could face a mandatory 20-year prison sentence if convicted of a federal charge for having a working bazooka in his home, but that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives would not pursue the charge if he accepted terms on the state charges.

Agent Bob Miller of the ATF could not be reached to comment.

Johnson said Telshaw was the only person locally to be charged with illegal assembly since the law was enacted by the Ohio Legislature in 2006.

The bazooka was among the firearms that also were found in the home June 30, 2006. Also found were six assault-type rifles, a shotgun, boxes of 7.62 mm ammunition, grenades, a Ruger pistol, and 300 to 400 pounds of smokeless gunpowder.

Telshaw had compiled all the components needed to make a bomb half the size of the one that blew up the federal building in Oklahoma City, a bomb technician said. Telshaw said he never intended to make a bomb or hurt anyone with the materials.

runyan@vindy.com