Woman ordered to drug rehab

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A Mahoning County judge ordered a city woman with an extensive history of theft to complete a drug-treatment program as a last chance at staying clean.

Lavette Boone, 46, of Cambridge Avenue, appeared Friday before Judge Maureen Sweeney of common pleas court for a probation-violation hearing. Boone ultimately admitted she violated her probation by using heroin one time.

Boone had been on probation for a 2007 theft conviction, but that is not the first time Boone has been arrested and convicted for a theft offense. Carla Baldwin-Fields, an assistant county prosecutor, said Boone has had more than 50 prior arrests for theft.

Baldwin-Fields requested that Boone serve at least 12 months in prison on the probation violation because her criminal record is so extensive.

Atty. Roklyn Turner, representing Boone, told the court her client has been clean and living a decent life since her release from prison in 2009 on the theft charge.

She said Boone was hospitalized and became addicted to medication, then tried to supplement that addiction with street drugs.

Boone asked the court for another chance to live a decent life. She said she did not understand how serious addiction can be and wants to make others understand how serious it can be.

Judge Sweeney said she realizes Boone has never had the benefit of a drug-treatment program and ordered her to complete the program in lieu of jail time. She warned Boone, however, that there will be no other chances given, and one violation will land her in prison.