Woman sentenced

Woman sentenced

YOUNGSTOWN

A Youngstown woman will be spending more than three years in prison and paying almost $55,000 in restitution for using false identities to defraud health-benefit plans.

Shari Spencer pleaded guilty to theft from a health-benefit program, making false statements and aggravated identity theft. She was sentenced Tuesday to 31/2 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution.

Spencer, 42, worked for the Austintown office of a third-party administrator of health-benefits plans for more than 10 years. It was during this time that prosecutors say Spencer diverted the funds into her own bank account.

Skate-a-thon set

BOARDMAN

The Youngstown Phantoms Figure Skating Club and the Youngstown Area Hockey Association are having a Skate-a-Thon fundraiser, Keeping Ice Under Our Skates, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 27 at the Ice Zone. Proceeds go to an effort to save the Ice Zone, the indoor ice-skating facility slated to close May 15 because of declining business. Bruce Zoldan, the facility’s owner, said last month he’d keep it open for another year if Ice Zone employees and families of figure skaters and hockey players could sell at least 1,000 season tickets to his Youngstown Phantoms junior hockey team. As of Saturday, the Ice Zone has sold 19 season tickets and $450 in game tickets, according to the Ice Zone’s Save Our Rink Facebook page.

Man to be arraigned

WARREN

Patrick Heltzel, 20, of Atlantic Street Northeast, will be arraigned at 11 a.m. Friday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court in the murder of Milton A. Grumbling III, 71, of Kincaid East Road in Warren Township.

Heltzel remained in the Guilford County, N.C., jail Wednesday awaiting extradition to Ohio. Heltzel has been held in Guilford County on a charge of possessing a stolen vehicle.

Heltzel was taken into custody by the Greensboro, N.C., police department Saturday after police talked with him and his mother on the telephone about Grumbling’s death. Grumbling was found stabbed to death at his home April 4. Heltzel is charged in Trumbull County with murder.

Man sentenced

WARREN

James M. Plevyak II, 29, of Idylwild Street Northeast, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for molesting a 10 year-old boy he was baby-sitting in 2010 and 2011 at Plevyak’s home and at a home in Niles.

Plevyak was convicted of three counts of gross sexual imposition after a trial in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court in February. Plevyak has been in the Trumbull County Jail since the verdict was rendered. Judge W. Wyatt McKay sentenced Plevyak Wednesday.

Plevyak was discharged from the Navy earlier for committing a child-pornography offense, said Gabe Wildman, an assistant Trumbull County prosecutor.

Block watch to meet

Youngstown

The Powerstown Neighbors Block Watch will meet at 7 p.m. today at Faith Community Covenant Church, 1919 E. Midlothian Blvd. Councilman John R. Swierz, D-7th, will discuss neighborhood issues.