Grand jury to get car break-in cases

Suspects in Canfield thefts have been charged in Poland in similar crimes.

STAFF REPORT

CANFIELD — Cases for two people accused in a car-break-in scheme were bound over to the Mahoning County grand jury.

Maria Cruz, 21, and James Faunda, 19, both of Campbell, were in Mahoning County Area Court in Canfield on Friday.

Cruz is charged with one count of complicity to burglary and one count of complicity to theft, both felonies. Faunda is charged with theft of a gun and complicity to burglary, also felonies.

The charges stem from a string of thefts from vehicles and one home burglary in the city in November.

Judge Scott Hunter said Friday the accused waived their right to a pretrial hearing, and the cases would be sent over to the Mahoning County Grand Jury. New court dates have not been scheduled.

Justin Nisevich, 20, of Campbell also was scheduled to appear in Canfield court Friday on a related misdemeanor-theft charge, but his case was continued to 9 a.m. Jan. 15.

Two others, Joseph Frampton, 20, of Mineral Ridge, and Kevin Michaels, 19, of Campbell, also were charged in the thefts.

Michaels is charged with one count of felony and one count of misdemeanor theft because police said they found stolen prescription drugs in his possession. He is scheduled to appear in Mahoning County Area Court in Canfield for a pretrial hearing at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 6.

Frampton is charged with burglary and theft of a gun, both felonies. He is in Mahoning County jail on an unrelated felonious- assault charge.

Faunda, Nisevich and Frampton were charged recently by Poland Township Police on similar charges relating to thefts from cars in the township.

Poland Detective Greg Wilson said they are accused of breaking into cars Nov, 4 in the southern portion of the township.

Faunda is charged with two counts of misdemeanor theft. Nisevich is charged with two misdemeanor thefts, felony theft and complicity to theft. Frampton is charged with one count each of felony and misdemeanor theft.

“They were going from car to car jiggling the door handle,” Wilson said. “If the door was locked, they just moved on.”

He said if the door was unlocked, the men took items including cellular phones and laptop computers.

“It just goes to show that no matter where you live, secure your vehicle, secure your home, secure your property,” Wilson said.