Boardman man indicted in theft against Valley’s Habitat for Humanity

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A Mahoning County grand jury has indicted a Boardman contractor on a list of charges, including an aggravated theft involving Habitat for Humanity.

Jack A Bruno, 52, of Arlene Avenue, Boardman, was indicted Thursday afternoon on six counts of burglary and one count of aggravated theft.

The indictment says Bruno deprived Habitat for Humanity of between $100,000 and $500,000. The theft is said to have taken place between July 1, 2009, and June 7, 2010.

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action, according to its website.

The organization invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need.

Habitat for Humanity International was founded in 1976. The local chapter for the organization is at 480 Youngstown-Poland Road, Struthers.

The indictment handed up against Bruno also says he by force, stealth or deception trespassed in homes on Indian Run, St. Andrews, Tippecanoe Road, and Linden Place, all in Canfield. Those incidents led to the burglary charges in the indictment.

Vindicator files show that Bruno also was charged with receiving stolen property from a home he was helping to remodel in Struthers earlier this year. The homeowner reported jewelry, coins and a porcelain wash tub were missing.

He has a pretrial hearing in that case July 18 in Struthers Municipal Court.