Man jailed without bond in woman’s sexual assault

By John w. Goodwin jr.

The man was released from prison in November.

YOUNGSTOWN — A 22-year-old city man has been remanded to the Mahoning County Jail without bond after appearing in Youngstown Municipal Court on charges associated with the sexual assault of a woman.

Oshah Porch, 22, of Thornton Avenue, was before Judge Robert Milich via video Monday morning. The charges against Porch are listed as felonious assault in police accounts, but city Prosecutor Jay Macejko said the charge is actually rape.

The criminal complaint against Porch says he made a woman engage in sexual conduct May 1 using force or a threat of force. There is also a charge of burglary from the same date in the criminal complaint.

Porch was taken into custody at 10 p.m. Friday in the 4000 block of South Avenue. He has been held in the county jail since that time.

Prosecutors read Porch’s criminal history to the court including past sexual offenses, theft and assault. Macejko acknowledged a past sexual offense but said he could not discuss the issue because the crime was committed when Porch was a juvenile.

Prosecutors in court said Porch is believed to have threatened one victim with bodily harm if she screamed, because he had to go back to prison anyway.

According to the Trumbull County clerk of courts office, Porch was sentenced Feb. 13, 2007, to two years in prison after being convicted of kidnapping, felonious assault and a misdemeanor domestic-violence charge.

The Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Web site shows that Porch was released from prison in November 2008. The site shows Porch under supervision of the state for a period of three years.

Milich, after hearing Porch’s background and crimes with which he is charged, refused to set bail. He said any matter of bond will be handled at an upcoming preliminary hearing.