Sentencing is postponed for 4 found guilty in beating of man

The judge wants to give the victim an opportunity to make a statement.

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

YOUNGSTOWN — Four men found guilty for the beating of an Austintown man in Campbell will have to wait a little longer to learn their punishment.

Charges against the four men stemmed from the beating June 24, 2008, of Seth M. Leach, 33, formerly of Ayrshire Drive, Austintown, in the Campbell home of Lori Perry.

Joseph R. Perry Sr., 62, of Tenney Avenue, Campbell, his son, Joseph Jr., 40, of Peters Drive, Campbell, Mark A. Ziemianski, 26, of Susan Circle, Austintown, and James C. Riley III, 25, of Harold Lane, Campbell, all pleaded no contest in June and were found guilty of various charges by Judge Lou A. D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

The prosecutor’s office recommended the Perrys spend four years in prison for their part in the beating. Five years’ probation was the recommendation for Ziemianski and Riley.

The men were scheduled to be sentenced Thursday by Judge D’Apolito, but the judge postponed the sentencing because Leach was not available to make a statement in court. Prison records show that Leach has been in the Belmont Correctional Institution on a burglary conviction since June.

Judge D’Apolito said the case will be reset for a date after Leach has been released from prison. Prison records show Leach should be released from prison sometime in November.

“I am going to continue this to give the victim the opportunity to appear and offer a statement if he chooses to do that,” Judge D’Apolito said.

Five men forced their way into Lori Perry’s home between midnight and 1 a.m. and beat Leach and then bound the victim’s hands and feet with duct tape.

After that, two more men, the Perrys, entered the home and beat and kicked Leach while he was bound, according to Campbell police reports.

Prosecutors described Perry Sr. as the ringleader who recruited his son and others to teach Leach a lesson. According to a Campbell police report, the Perrys had warned Leach to stay away from Lori Perry and her children. The Perrys are the ex-husband and father-in-law of Lori Perry.

Leach suffered multiple cuts and bruises, and his jaw was broken in two places. He spent several days recovering in St. Elizabeth Health Center.

A fifth man, Brandon T. Dotson of Selma Avenue, Youngstown, pleaded no contest to an amended charge of attempted aggravated assault in April and was found guilty. Judge D’Apolito placed him on one year’s probation in June.

jgoodwin@vindy.com