Niles man enters no plea to kidnap, theft

Staff report

NILES

Ross Francis, 42, of Robbins Avenue is being held in the Trumbull County jail in lieu of $150,000 bond after being arraigned Monday in Niles Municipal Court on kidnapping, theft and other charges.

Francis was arrested early Friday in Lordstown with a 3-year-old boy in the back seat of a car police say Francis stole from a house on John Street.

Police said Francis had been dropped off by Weathersfield police a short time before the 10:45 p.m. Thursday car theft and abduction.

An off-duty Warren patrolman spotted the car on Tod Avenue at 5:30 a.m. Friday and apprehended Francis a short time later. The boy was returned to his family.

The felony kidnapping and theft charges relate to the abduction and car theft. No plea was entered on those charges.

Francis pleaded innocent to misdemeanor criminal mischief and criminal trespass in relation to damage to planters he’s accused of smashing at a house on state Route 169 at 9:30 p.m. Thursday.