Accused pleads guilty to attempted murder

YOUNGSTOWN — A man charged in a home invasion and shooting has pleaded guilty to attempted murder, but aggravated burglary and felonious assault charges against him have been dropped.

Lamarcus M. Belcher, 27, of East High Avenue, entered his guilty plea as his jury trial was to begin Monday before Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

The prosecution agreed to recommend six years in prison, consisting of three years for the attempted murder of Phillip Johnson, plus the mandatory consecutive three years for the gun specification. Belcher will be sentenced at 10 a.m. May 29.

Johnson, 27, of East Dewey Avenue, was shot in the stomach Jan. 8 at a house in the 900 block of McHenry Street.

Witnesses said two men burst through the front door while two more kicked in the back door after a group of people argued in the home’s driveway.

Also on Monday, Steven L. Belcher, 33, also of East High Avenue, pleaded guilty to improperly handling a gun in a motor vehicle in the same indictment, with the prosecution recommending probation for him when he is sentenced at 9:30 a.m. May 29.

Earlier, another defendant in the same indictment, Sirtan Alli, 19, of Woodside Avenue, pleaded guilty to the same charge of improperly handling a gun in a motor vehicle. He’ll be sentenced at 8:30 a.m. May 16.

Alli and Steven L. Belcher were arrested when police stopped the car they occupied shortly after the shooting and found a loaded pistol and two revolvers in that vehicle.