2 Trumbull jail officers indicted

By Ed Runyan

runyan@vindy.com

WARREN

Two of three corrections officers at the Trumbull County Jail accused of eavesdropping on their supervisors have been indicted by a Trumbull County grand jury.

Robert J. Rihel Jr., 46, of Anderson Anthony Road, Leavittsburg, is indicted on 23 counts of interception of wire, oral or electronic communications; Timothy J. Billock, 45, of East Broad Street, Newton Falls, is indicted on six counts.

Each charge carries a penalty of up to 18 months in prison.

A third corrections officer investigated in the case, Barbara Ruggieri, 45, was not mentioned in the grand-jury report released Wednesday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

Charges were presented to a grand jury regarding each of the three after an investigation was conducted by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, Sheriff Tom Altiere said.

All three have been on paid administrative leave from their jobs since Nov. 3.

All three are accused of activating an intercom system to listen to conversations of their supervisors without the supervisors’ knowledge, Altiere said.

Rihel and Billock have been corrections officers since 1998. Ruggieri was hired in 2009.

Don Guarino, chief of operations for the Tsheriff’s office, said disciplinary hearings are scheduled with all three employees today.