Guilty on 3 rape counts

Guilty on 3 rape counts

YOUNGSTOWN — A 38-year-old Hubbard Road man was convicted of three counts of rape and acquitted of a fourth rape count.

A jury rendered the verdict against Christopher DeWitt Tuesday after four hours of deliberations at the end of a two-day trial before Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

DeWitt faces three to 20 years in prison when Judge Krichbaum sentences him at 9 a.m. Thursday.

DeWitt was convicted of raping two girls, one 16 and the other 17, as they slept in his residence in July 2008. The girls awakened to find DeWitt raping them, according to Gabriel Wildman, assistant county prosecutor.

The judge ordered DeWitt jailed pending sentencing.

On probation for 3 years

YOUNGSTOWN — A 52-year-old Struthers man was sentenced to three years of probation for the July 3, 2006, robbery of a gasoline station, to which he pleaded guilty. Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court imposed the sentence Tuesday on Larry G. Rusu, of East Midlothian Boulevard, in connection with the robbery of the Kwik-Fill station in Struthers.

Rusu was indicted April 24, 2008, on a charge of aggravated robbery with a firearm specification, but the prosecution reduced the charge to robbery and dropped the firearm specification. Robert J. Andrews, assistant county prosecutor, said the gun Rusu pointed at the cashier was a toy. Andrews said Rusu took $76 in the robbery.

Telephone harassment

BOARDMAN — A 19-year-old Applewood Boulevard man faces misdemeanor charges of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles and telephone harassment, accused of sending a picture of his genitals to a minor.

A preliminary hearing is set for May 5 in Mahoning County Court for Micah Hoover.

On March 11, a 17-year-old girl reported receiving a series of harassing phone calls and text messages on her cell phone from a number she didn’t recognize. She described the text messages as sexual in nature. She also received a picture of male genitals on the phone.

When questioned by police, Hoover admitted sending the messages, a police report said.

Goldie Road expansion

LIBERTY — Township officials have awarded Foust Construction, Inc. of Girard a contract for the expansion of Goldie Road in anticipation of the Belmont Wal-Mart opening.

Township Administrator Pat Ungaro said Foust submitted a bid of $112,442. He said the work is expected to be completed by June 1.

Ungaro said the bid was well below the projected cost of $165,000. The costs are being covered by state Issue 2 funds and Wal-Mart.

Goldie Road at the Belmont Avenue intersection will be widened to allow for a right turning lane for traffic turning north onto Belmont Avenue.

Group to open gift shop

HOWLAND — Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County has purchased Paint City on East Market Street to use for its Menagerie Thrift & Gift Shoppe. The league will have a 50 percent-off sale from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Paint City, 6037 E. Market St. Items on sale will include paint, wallpaper, hardware and plumbing and electrical equipment.

Baby Talk classes set

YOUNGSTOWN – The next session of Baby Talk, a sign language class for infants, begins this week at The Montessori School of the Mahoning Valley, 2008 Lynn Ave. Baby Talk I sessions will be today, April 8, 22 and 29. Baby Talk II will be Thursday, April 9, 23 and 30. Sessions are offered twice on these days for both classes, from 11:40 a.m. to 12:40 p.m., and 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Classes are for children ages 6 months to 2 Ω years. To register, call Barb at (330) 540-1025 or email Karen at baileysignstoo@aol.com.