Rapist gets 58 years

Rapist gets 58 years

WARREN — Charles Lemons, who spent 25 years in prison for raping a female Warren Western Reserve High School student in 1978, has been sentenced to 58 additional years in prison for raping a 21-year-old female relative in 2007.

Lemons, 52, of Karl Avenue Southwest in Warren Township, received his sentence Monday in the courtroom of Judge Peter Kontos in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

A jury convicted Lemons earlier this month of raping the relative in her North Feederle Drive Southeast apartment after hitting her five times in the head with a hammer.

Lemons faced up to 48 years in prison for rape, kidnapping and felonious assault but could have received as many as 96 years because Judge Kontos also ruled Lemons to be a repeat violent offender.

Marijuana operation

GIRARD — Police charged a 24-year-old Trumbull Avenue man with felony illegal cultivation of marijuana after police discovered the plants growing in his basement. According to police, officers went to Jonathan Mazza’s home on a tip. Reports say Mazza led officers to the plants after being asked about the growing operation. Police found several plants in various stages of growth along with items involved in the growing process. Reports say the plants were worth about $1,500 each.

$100,000 fire damage

BOARDMAN — Firefighters are investigating a blaze that caused about $100,000 damage to a Wingate Road home.

Gene Sr. and Grace Bionci were home Sunday afternoon when Gene Bionci, who was in the basement, smelled something burning. He opened the door leading to the garage.

“It was just flames and smoke,” Gene Bionci said. He told his wife to grab their two dogs and get out of the house.

The firefighters who responded came from the station on South Avenue, which was closed for much of 2008 because of the township’s financial problems. It reopened in November 2008, after voters approved a safety levy.

“What if that station hadn’t reopened?” Gene Bionci said. “My whole house would be gone.”

Firefighters were called about 1:45 p.m. to 1910 Wingate. The fire destroyed two cars and spread into the house. The cause is undetermined. No one was injured.

Diocese cemeteries

YOUNGSTOWN — All artificial flowers and decorations must be removed from graves, monuments and mausoleum crypts in Diocese of Youngstown cemeteries by Monday. This includes Calvary and Resurrection cemeteries in Youngstown and All Souls Cemetery in Cortland.