Valley crime digest: Police probe vandalism

Police probe vandalism

GIRARD — City police are investigating vandalism that includes about 30 pieces of property and a police car.

Officers received a call from a resident concerning six juveniles making noise in the 200 block of Prospect Street just after 2 a.m. Tuesday. When officers arrived they realized the juveniles had spray-painted a fence on the property facing Washington Avenue.

Officers checked the area and discovered paint damage to a couple dozen other pieces of property on Howard, Second, Liberty, Wilson, Main, Kline, Prospect and Highland streets. The buildings and garages had words such as “Tiny,” “jet 08,” “Sunny D,” and “bananas” spray painted on exterior walls. A city police car was found to have a smiley face spray-painted on the window.

2 plead innocent to theft

LISBON — Two people pleaded innocent Wednesday in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court to the theft of money from the Crestview Softball League.

Anthony Polk, 42, and Kathleen Trump, 37, had each been indicted on a fifth-degree felony charge of theft in 2007. They are accused of taking $640 from the league. The league was not affiliated with the Crestview School District.

Polk and Trump had lived in the Crestview area but later moved to Charlotte, N.C. Judge David Tobin released each on a $10,000 recognizance bond. Polk and Trump could each face up to one year in prison.

Sentenced in stabbing

WARREN — A 30-year-old Niles man is sentenced to 10 years in prison for the 2007 stabbing death of his roommate.

Michael McGrath pleaded guilty Tuesday before Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court to a reduced charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Ray M. Carroll, 28, who lived with McGrath on Woodglen Avenue. McGrath was indicted in November on a charge of aggravated murder. Carroll was found dead Oct. 30.

McGrath’s attorney, Anthony Consoldane, originally entered a plea for McGrath of not guilty by reason of insanity. Police found two knives in the house, and Carroll had been in the house for some time before being found.

Homeless man charged

AUSTINTOWN — A homeless man is charged with felonies of receiving stolen property and theft after police say he tried to use a stolen credit card to buy a television at the Austintown Wal-Mart and load it into a stolen van.

Jason M. Rodriguez, 26, was taken to the Mahoning County Jail on the charges, plus a misdemeanor of possessing dangerous drugs after officers found a prescription bottle on him containing various drugs around 8 p.m. Tuesday. Boardman police said the van had been reported stolen in Boardman on Monday and the credit card was reported stolen Tuesday in Boardman.

A woman in the driver’s seat when Rodriguez was arrested. Jennifer G. Rodriguez, 21, of Prestwick Drive, Boardman, was also arrested and charged with a felony of complicity to theft and a misdemeanor of drug paraphernalia.

Sentenced for rapes

WARREN — A 47-year-old Southington man is sentenced to 20 years in prison for multiple rapes of a young family member.

Louis Ponzi Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday to 13 counts of rape and one count of gross sexual imposition. He was sentenced to the 20-year term by Judge W. Wyatt McKay of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

Two of the rape counts carried life sentences, but Diane Barber, an assistant county prosecutor, sought reduction of the life terms in exchange for Ponzi’s plea.

Barber said Ponzi had sexual contact with the girl family member from 2000 to April 2007. She said the girl told her mother about the sexual activity, and the mother contacted police. The girl is now 17.

Sobriety roadblock set

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County Operating a Vehicle Impaired Task Force will conduct a sobriety roadblock somewhere in Mahoning County between 10 p.m. Friday and 2 a.m. Saturday. The checkpoint is part of a zero tolerance for drivers who operate a vehicle while impaired.

Funding for the patrols comes from a combination of state and federal funds through the Goshen Police District.