Youngstown man sentenced for tossing body waste at deputies in jail

October 20, 2012 at 12:04a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

A 25-year-old city man will spend the next five years behind bars for throwing feces and urine at deputies while being housed in Mahoning County jail.

Ronald Chappell, of West Boston Avenue, was convicted on four counts of harassment with bodily fluids and one count of vandalism. His trial began Monday in common pleas court and ended with guilty verdicts Thursday.

Judge James C. Evans on Friday handed down a one-year sentence for each charge. Those sentences will be served consecutively. Chappell also will have to serve 30 days in the county jail for contempt of court.

Dawn Cantalamessa, an assistant county prosecutor, said Chappell will be returning to court. He still has unresolved cases pending for other activities while be was housed in the jail.

Chappell originally had been charged with felony domestic violence against his mother, but the mother refused calls from prosecutors to testify, so that charge was dropped.

He was charged with the harassment for throwing feces and urine while being jailed on the domestic- violence charge.

Chappell, in the domestic-violence case, was accused of pouring hot wax on his mother and choking her with some type of cord.

Chappell will be given credit for the 271 days he has spent in jail awaiting trial.