Man gets 9 years for rape
YOUNGSTOWN
A 21-year-old Salem man convicted in the rape of an underage female family member will spend the next nine years behind bars.
Anthony McDaniel, of West Garfield Road, was set to go on trial Monday on two counts of felony rape with lifetime prison specifications but chose instead to enter into a plea agreement with prosecutors. He was charged with raping a 12-year-old female relative.
The case was before Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Natasha Frenchko, an assistant county prosecutor, said a jury pool from which a jury could be selected was waiting when McDaniel, represented by Atty. Thomas Zena, asked if a plea agreement could be reached.
“It spoke volumes to the mother and family that he wanted to accept responsibility. ... I spoke to the family and let them help make that decision. It spared the victim from having to testify,” she said. “From our position, this was a resolution in the best interest of the victim.”
Under the terms of the plea agreement, the life specifications and a gross sexual imposition charge were dismissed, allowing McDaniel to plead guilty to the two counts of first degree felony rape. The maximum for the two reduced charges is 22 years in prison.
Frenchko said the prose-cutor’s office and Zena reached an agreed-upon sentence of nine years in prison, along with the requirement that McDaniel register as a sex offender every 90 days for the rest of his life.
Judge Krichbaum adopted the recommended sentence after explaining to McDaniel that he will be placed in prison for nine years and cannot appeal the sentence. He also told the convicted man he will be placed on five years’ parole upon his release from prison.
“These types of offenses are shocking to the conscience of anyone involved in the case,” the judge said.