Woman involved in burglary gets 2 years

‘She orchestrated everything,’ the burglary victim told the judge.

Staff Report

YOUNGSTOWN — A woman who pleaded guilty in a Jan. 30 Canfield home burglary has been sentenced to two years in prison.

Joanne Douglas, 39, of Youngstown, drew the sentence Friday from Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Douglas was the cleaning woman for Darlene DeChellis of Bradford Drive, whose home was burglarized.

Police said Douglas helped her brother-in-law, John Douglas, 35, of Youngstown, and Richard Cummings, 35, of Lynn Avenue, plan that burglary based on her knowledge of DeChellis’ routines.

Police said DeChellis came home unexpectedly, surprised John Douglas inside and chased him to his getaway car, where Cummings waited behind the wheel.

John Douglas and Cummings got 36-month and 18-month prison terms, respectively, on Thursday after they pleaded guilty to the home burglary and to a Dec. 31 or Jan. 1 break-in at the DeChellis Restaurant in New Middletown.

“She orchestrated everything,” DeChellis said of Joanne Douglas, urging the judge not to grant Joanne Douglas probation.

Joanne Douglas’ lawyer, Jeffrey Limbian, told the judge his client is a recovering drug addict, who has been sober for 4 1‚Ñ2 years and is employed full time.

Joanne Douglas told the judge she worked in the DeChellis home for more than a year, and once returned a wallet full of money and credit cards she found under a couch to DeChellis. “I believe John [Douglas] took it upon himself to do whatever he did,” she said.

However, Judge Krichbaum noted Joanne Douglas’ prior criminal record for theft and statements from her co-defendants, who said she was “an integral part” of the burglary.

The judge said the burglars violated DeChellis’ home. A residence should be “the one safe place on Earth that all of us should enjoy,” Judge Krichbaum said.

Judge Krichbaum told Joanne Douglas she’ll be on parole for three years after she leaves prison.