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Prison likely for bar owner
YOUNGSTOWN
Photo
John Messer
A former bar owner now convicted of multiple drug-related charges likely will spend more than four years behind bars.
John Messer, owner of the former Riverbend Tavern, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors on 17 counts of drug trafficking and one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, all pertaining to events reported to have occurred last year at the Poland Avenue tavern.
The plea agreement was heard Thursday by Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
The terms of the agreement call for prosecutors to drop the one count of engaging in a corrupt pattern of activity. Messer, 58, in turn, pleaded guilty to the remaining charges.
Martin Desmond, an assistant county prosecutor, told the court the prosecutor’s office is recommending a 41‚Ñ2-year prison sentence along with fines in excess of $10,000. Messer could be sentenced to up to 26 years in prison and face fines of $62,000.
Desmond said prosecutors are willing to make the deal because Messer has only one prior misdemeanor conviction and has been helpful to authorities throughout the investigation.