METRO DIGEST || Men to repay $70K to turnpike


Men to repay $70K

YOUNGSTOWN

Two men convicted of stealing thousands of dollars from the Ohio Turnpike Commission will be sentenced for theft in October, but have already agreed to pay the money back.

Paul Bindas, 47, of Canfield and Steven Harper, 42, of Canfield appeared Thursday before Judge Lou A. D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. They will return to court Oct. 4 when they will face a potential 18-month prison sentence.

Harper, represented by Atty. J. Gerald Ingram and Bindas, represented by Atty. James Lanzo, have agreed to repay the stolen money in one lump sum. The combined amount is more than $70,000.

Indictment

YOUNGSTOWN

A Mahoning County grand jury Thursday indicted a Youngstown man on charges of felonious assault, kidnapping and menacing by stalking stemming from a domestic-violence incident involving his live-in girlfriend in August.

Michael Kohn, 31, who listed an address on Florence Avenue, surrendered to authorities in August.

Kohn had been in The Vindicator’s Top 5 Most Wanted feature as he was sought by the Mahoning Valley/FBI Violent Crimes Task Force.

Cocaine sentences

PITTSBURGH

Two Shenango Valley men have been sentenced in federal court here on drug convictions.

Michael Vincent Talbert, 32, of Walnut Street, Farrell, Pa., was ordered to serve five years and 11 months in prison after being convicted earlier this month of possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute it.

Tylon Ramon Cousin, 26, of Ellsworth Street , Sharon, Pa., was sentenced earlier this month to five years after being convicted of possessing crack cocaine and marijuana with an intent to distribute it.

Road closing

Youngstown

Lansing Avenue between Oak and Emmett streets on the East Side will be closed from 4:30 p.m. to midnight today for a baggo tournament fundraiser on behalf of Steve Mulichak.

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