Men headed to prison for rapes

One man initially was charged with crimes that carried possible life sentences.

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — Two local men are headed to prison after their convictions on rape charges.

At a hearing Thursday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, William J. Himes, 36, of East Prospect Street, Girard, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a jury found him guilty Monday on two counts of complicity to rape for crimes committed against a Youngstown woman in her 40s in June 2006.

Natasha Frenchko, an assistant county prosecutor, said Himes assisted a man known only as Tony in committing the crimes.

The woman left a tavern near her home with Himes and Tony, and the men took advantage of the woman’s intoxicated state, with Tony raping her and Himes assisting him in a field on the North Side, Frenchko said.

Tony remains at large, and police continue to investigate the case, Frenchko said.

Sentencing Himes was Judge Timothy E. Franken.

Meanwhile, Curtis O. Daye, 60, of West Marion Avenue was sentenced to six years in prison on convictions of raping a girl in 2007 and another girl in 2000 — both in Youngstown.

Judge R. Scott Krichbaum gave approval to the plea agreement worked out between the parties, but only after scolding Daye and his attorney, Walter Ritchie, for requesting a reduced sentence in court on Thursday.

“Six years for what he did is the absolute bare minimum,” Judge Krichbaum said. He added that if Daye wanted to withdraw his plea and go to trial on the charges, he would be happy to accommodate him.

Daye and Ritchie declined.

“I’m ready for whatever you have for me,” Daye told Judge Krichbaum.

Daye was indicted in February on two counts of rape that carried possible life sentences.