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Officer found innocent of eavesdropping
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
For a second time, a corrections officer at the Trumbull County jail has been found innocent of criminal charges after a trial.
A jury returned innocent verdicts Thursday on six felony charges accusing Timothy J. Billock, 46, of Newton Falls, of eavesdropping on his supervisors by using the intercom system at the county jail.
The jury in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court returned the verdicts Thursday after a two-day trial and about 41/2 hours of deliberation.
Billock faced six counts of interception of wire, oral or electronic communications, each of which carried a possible penalty of 18 months in prison.
Two other former corrections officers, Robert J. Rihel, 46, of Leavittsburg, and Barbara Ruggieri, 45, of Warren, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor falsification in the case and were sentenced to probation. Both resigned from their jobs at the jail.
Billock’s most-recent job status was unpaid administrative leave. Attempts to reach Sheriff Thomas Altiere to ask whether the trial outcome would affect Billock’s job status were unsuccessful.
Billock went on trial in Newton Falls Municipal Court in December 2009 on a misdemeanor charge of discharging a firearm in the city limits after a run-in with a motorist driving up Billock’s street.
Billock was taking out the trash when a car came speeding up the street with its headlights off. Billock showed the motorist his badge, identified himself as a deputy sheriff and told the driver to turn on his headlights, according to a police report.
After the driver yelled obscenities at Billock, Billock extended his hand a second time and told the driver to turn on his lights, but the driver instead reached for Billock’s hand and started to drive away, dragging him, Billock told police.
Billock said he fired his gun to get the driver to let go, but Newton Falls Police Chief John M. Kuivila said it was difficult to believe Billock’s description of events because Billock had no marks on his arm indicating that he had been dragged.
Billock was found innocent of the charge after a half-day trial before Judge Philip Vigorito.