Youngstown man accused of aggravated rape

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A 34-year-old Helena Avenue man was scheduled to appear in Youngstown Municipal Court at 10 a.m. today on a charge of aggravated rape.

Newell Spann was arrested late Saturday by city police after a 36-year-old woman accused him of raping her shortly after she came home about 11:20 p.m. She told police she unlocked the side door and went to a rear room to let her dogs out.

She said that when she returned to the kitchen, she found her attacker there. The accuser told police he slapped her. When she threatened to stab him, he hit her again and she sprayed him with Mace. She said he then dragged her to the living room, threw her on a couch, hit her again and pushed her to the floor and raped her.

She described her attacker as a black male wearing a white T-shirt, orange shorts and brown work boots. A witness reported seeing a man fitting that description enter the woman’s home about 11:20 p.m. and leave 10 minutes later, according to police reports.