Grand jury indicts 3 area men in torture case

The victim in the case testified he was tied up and burned.

WARREN — Three men, including a son and father, have been indicted by the Trumbull County grand jury on charges that they tortured a 25-year-old man over a $50 drug debt.

Indicted Wednesday on charges of felonious assault and kidnapping, both with firearm specifications, are Stephen N. DeSantis, 48; his son, Michael A. DeSantis, 22, both of South Street in Warren; and Brandon M. Finney, 22, of North Mecca Street, Cortland.

They are accused of kidnapping and beating Shane DeSmith, who had been staying with the DeSantises.

DeSmith testified during a March 5 preliminary hearing in Warren Municipal Court that he was walking along Porter Street in Warren with the money to pay his $50 marijuana debt to them.

The DeSantises pulled up in a pickup truck and put him in the truck at gunpoint. During the next seven hours, DeSmith testified, he was tortured. After being tied into a chair, a grinder was used to cut through his shoe, injuring two toes. He was burned with a torch and heated screwdriver.

DeSmith had said in an interview that at one point he asked Michael DeSantis and Finney to kill him. Later, he was dumped at his mother’s house.

Also indicted were:

UEdward T. Lightning, 24, Trumbull County Jail, escape.

URuth Ann Shonce, also known as Ruth Ann McCumber, 55, of Leavittsburg, grand theft; tampering with records (16 counts).

UDaryl T. McBride Jr., 25, of Warren, felonious assault with a firearm specification; a felon being in possession of a firearm (two counts); aggravated robbery with a firearms specification.

UCraig L. Siciliano Jr., 22, of Girard, trafficking in marijuana (three counts); possession of marijuana.

ULeland Ray Hunt Jr., 39, of Masury, domestic violence.

UDaniel J.S. Prince, 27, of Burghill, possession of cocaine.

UMichael J. Shevetz, 51, of Hubbard, robbery.

UPaul Williamson, 45, of Warren, petty theft; case remanded to Warren Municipal Court.

UTimothy I. Allen, 47, of Warren, carrying a concealed weapon; a felon in possession of a firearm; possession of cocaine; improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle.

UMark S. Lett II, 21, of Youngstown, carrying a concealed weapon; improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle; receiving stolen property.

UDuane E. Parks, 33, of Warren, carrying a concealed weapon; improper handling of firearm in a motor vehicle.

UClifford L. Raynovich Jr., 39, of Niles, robbery (two counts).

UGail Annette Johnson, 24, Warren, breaking and entering.

UGregory R. Hampton, 55, of Warren, theft.

UWilliam H. Ballack, 23, of Hubbard, grand theft.

URoland M. Pyle, 19, of Warren, burglary; grand theft of a motor vehicle; possession of criminal tools.

UJohn E. Boyers, 26, of Warren, felonious assault (three counts).

UJoshua Matthew Wix, 20, of Leavittsburg, burglary; grand theft of a motor vehicle; failure to comply with the order of a police officer; possession of criminal tools.

UJeremiah H. Singelis, 24, of Cortland, theft (two counts); forgery.

USteven D. Applequist, 34, of Cortland, domestic violence.

UJoshua N. Nickolas, 23, of Howland, theft; petty theft.

The grand jury declined to indict:

UTuan Anh Dang, 42, of the Trumbull County Jail, pleaded guilty by way of a bill of information March 27 before Judge John M. Stuard; sentenced to six months in jail for theft.

UJoel M. Thompson, 28, of Warren, arson.

UJoseph N. Pierson, 27, of Newton Falls, kidnapping.

UPaul Williamson, robbery.

UJoshua J. Morgan, 26, of Warren, felonious assault.

URobert Lee Butcher, 41, of Warren, domestic violence.

USheldon Andrew Gathers, 26, of Hubbard, domestic violence.

USonia L. Crawford, 34, of Cortland, aggravated robbery.

UJohn Paul Kellar, 32, of Warren, aggravated robbery.

UKristopher J. Choleva, 35, of Warren, felonious assault.

UJonathan Riley, 27, of Warren, carrying a concealed weapon.

UMonte Allen Ohler, 32, of Warren, illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto grounds of a detention center.

UWayne Brian Mitchell, 27, of Warren, felonious assault; intimidation.

UHerman Tiggett Jr., 45, of Warren, carrying a concealed weapon.

UKathy A. Witzman, 57, of Kinsman, illegal dumping.

UJoshua N. Nicholas, robbery.