Girard man found guilty of complicity to rape charges

YOUNGSTOWN — A Girard man will be sentenced at 10 a.m. Thursday to up to 20 years in prison after a jury convicted him on two charges of complicity to rape.

William J. Himes, 36, of East Prospect Street, went on trial last week in the courtroom of Judge Timothy E. Franken in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on a total six charges, including one of kidnapping and three counts of rape.

A jury returned its guilty verdict Monday on the complicity charges and found Himes innocent on the kidnapping and rape charges.

The complicity charges carry a possible sentence of three to 10 years in prison.

Natasha Frenchko, an assistant county prosector, said Himes’ victim, a Youngstown woman in her 40s, left a tavern near her home in June 2006 with Himes and another man after she had been drinking.

The woman was a little familiar with Himes, but she did not know the other man except that he was called Tony, Frenchko said. Tony was the primary offender, Frenchko added.

Himes and the other man took advantage of the woman’s intoxicated state and raped her in a field on the North Side, Frenchko said. The other man has never been found.

Dawn Cantalamessa, another assistant county prosecutor, assisted Frenchko in presenting the state’s case.