Pellin convicted of one theft count
Staff report
YOUNGSTOWN
Judge James C. Evans has acquitted Richard M. Pellin Jr., a former owner of the ambulance company that bore his family’s name, of nine counts of forgery and nine counts of theft but convicted him of one count of complicity to theft.
Pellin will be sentenced at 11 a.m. Nov. 16 by the Mahoning County Common Pleas Court judge, who presided over a two-day, nonjury trial, which ended Monday.
Pellin could be sentenced to probation or to six to 18 months in prison.
Judge Evans did not fully explain his verdict in a brief written judgment entry filed Thursday, except to say that the prosecution had proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Pellin was guilty of complicity to just one of the theft counts.
Prosecutors said authorities believe Richard Pellin, 38, of Diamond, and his mother, Vanessa Pellin, 56, of Akron-Canfield Road, Ellsworth, diverted $91,261 due Pellin EMS (emergency medical services) to a Pennsylvania bank account.
In August, Judge Evans sentenced Vanessa Pellin to three years’ probation and 200 hours of community service after she pleaded guilty to a single count of theft, and he ordered her to make restitution of any stolen funds.
The EMS company was placed into receivership via court order over debts owed to Chase Bank.