Former Judge Cronin faces new DUI charge

BY ANGIE SCHMITT

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — Former Judge Maureen A. Cronin faces jail time after being charged with her second driving-under-the-influence charge in two years late Wednesday.

Judge Cronin was stopped by a state trooper at 11:54 p.m. Wednesday while driving on state Route 11 in Beaver Township, according to an Ohio State Highway Patrol spokesman. She was reported to have been swerving outside lane lines.

The former judge entered an innocent plea and waived her arraignment, scheduled for 9 a.m. today in Mahoning County Court in Canfield. A pretrial date will be set for her next court appearance.

She pleaded no contest to charges of driving under the influence in 2005. She was stopped that time by the OSHP in Boardman Township after returning from Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort in Chester, W.Va.

Judge Joseph G. Houser of Mahoning County Court, Boardman, found her guilty and revoked her driver’s license for 180 days. She also was charged $250 in court costs, sentenced to 180 days in jail with 177 days suspended and 12 months’ nonreporting probation.

Judge Cronin refused requests to comment.

She is being represented by lawyers Samuel G. Amendolara and Scott R. Cochran. Amendolara said he had no comment on the matter Thursday.

Potential penalties

If found guilty of a second DUI offense, Ohio law says the judge could receive a minimum of 10 days in jail or five days in jail plus a minimum 18 days of electronically monitored house arrest.

She also faces fines ranging from a minimum of $300 to a maximum of $1,500.

Judge Cronin retired from the Mahoning County Common Pleas Court bench in July after serving 13 years.