Serial burglar who preyed on elderly gets 15 years in prison

YOUNGSTOWN — A notorious home invader and serial burglar whose crime spree spanned seven Mahoning County communities is going to prison for 15 years.

Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court imposed the sentence Friday on Charles L. Zimmerman, 37, of Hunter Street.

The sentence is non-appealable because it was agreed to by the prosecution and defense and adopted by the judge.

Zimmerman had earlier pleaded guilty as charged to seven counts of burglary, two counts of aggravated burglary, and one count each of robbery, kidnapping, theft and disrupting public services.

His sentence consisted of a combined concurrent term of five years for all those crimes, plus 10 consecutive years for a repeat violent offender specification.

Had Zimmerman received maximum consecutive sentences on all counts, he could have gone to prison for 106 1/2 years.

Zimmerman, who will get credit for the 311 days he has already been jailed, committed his crimes in Youngstown and Struthers and in Coitsville, Poland, Boardman, Beaver and Goshen townships in December 2007 and January 2008.

Read more in Saturday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com