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Brothers get prison terms for burglaries drugs
YOUNGSTOWN
Two brothers convicted of burglary and OxyContin trafficking charges are going to prison.
Zoltan J. Kozic, 37, of East Calla Road, New Middletown, is going to prison for 18 years after having been convicted of all five burglary and two OxyContin-trafficking counts against him.
Jamie D. Kozic, 31, of Wilson Street, Struthers, is going to prison for 20 years after having been convicted of seven burglary counts, one count each of attempted burglary and possessing criminal tools (a screwdriver), and three OxyContin trafficking counts.
Both men also were convicted of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity after a two-week trial last month, during which the jury heard from about 60 witnesses, saw about 200 pieces of evidence and deliberated for more than four hours.
The Kozics, who could have received prison terms of up to 90 years each, were sentenced Thursday by visiting Judge Thomas P. Curran of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, who presided over the trial.
“It’s hard to imagine a more serious case, in which the need for incapacitating these defendants is apparent,” Judge Curran said before sending the Kozics to prison.
“Their conduct with respect to these burglaries was dangerous, reckless and lawless,” the judge added.
The Kozics rejected a pre-trial offer by Martin P. Desmond, an assistant county prosecutor, to recommend a 10-year prison term for each defendant in exchange for their pleas of guilty as charged.
“A person should feel safe in their home. It’s their sanctuary. It’s their castle, and these defendants violated that,” Desmond told the judge, adding that both defendants had prior felony records.
Noting that the crimes didn’t involve any physical violence against people, Jamie Kozic’s lawyer, Douglas King, unsuccessfully called for a sentence of 10 years or less, which he said would eliminate the impression that his client is being punished for exercising his constitutional right to a jury trial.
The OxyContin trafficking occurred early in 2010 in Mahoning County, and the burglaries occurred in late 2009 and early 2010 in Parkman, Hubbard, Boardman, Poland and Columbiana, according to the indictment.
The Kozics’ sister, Jennifer V. Kozic, 34, of East McGaffney Avenue, Lowellville, is scheduled for a jury trial beginning Sept. 26 on two counts of OxyContin trafficking and one count each of burglary, receiving stolen property and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
Items taken in the burglaries included a credit card, televisions, firearms, cash and jewelry, with the stolen jewelry having been pawned in Mahoning County, Desmond said.
Zoltan and Jamie Kozic will be on parole for five years after they leave prison.