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Lorenzo Brooks has one week to turn himself in at the county jail.
YOUNGSTOWN
A Youngstown man has been sentenced to two years in prison for crimes that prosecutors contend he claims to have committed to fuel his addiction to race- car driving.
Lorenzo Brooks, 57, of Regis Avenue, previously pleaded guilty to complicity to possession of cocaine, forgery, theft, money laundering and another count of forgery — charges covering two separate incidents.
Brooks appeared before Judge James C. Evans of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on Thursday for sentencing, but the judge has allowed Brooks to remain free for one week to resolve personal business. He is to report to the Mahoning County jail Wednesday.
Martin Desmond, an assistant county prosecutor, said Brooks has claimed to be addicted to race-car driving and committed the crimes he has been convicted of to further that racing enterprise.
Desmond said in one instance, Brooks was found with $30,000 in counterfeit money, trying to buy a large amount of illegal drugs. He said police found another $30,000 in illegal funds inside Brooks’ home.
Desmond said Brooks planned to use the drugs to earn more money to put toward his race-car driving.
Desmond said Brooks, in a second instance, purchased a television from a large retail store using counterfeit money and then went to a different store in the same chain attempting to return it and pocket the real money.
Brooks, represented by Atty. Mark Lavelle, told the court he is completing renovations on his home and has fallen from a roof, injuring himself. He appeared in court using a cane and wearing a neck brace.
Brooks, through his attorney, asked the court if he could turn himself in to begin serving time at la ater date, preferably in the fall, so that he would have time to heal and finish the renovations on his home.
“The fact of the matter is that he did fall from the roof. He was injured and does have medical records to prove that,” Lavelle said.
Brooks told the court he is not trying to dodge responsibility but does not want to leave his family in position where it could end up homeless.
“I am not trying to do anything other than finish the house,” he said.
Judge Evans, noting that the current case marks Brooks’ eighth felony conviction along with numerous misdemeanor convictions, told Brooks the court had been very patient in the case and would not allow him to remain out of jail until the fall — but did give him the one-week extension to get his business affairs together.
Judge Evans then adopted the two-year agreed upon sentence. Brooks will get credit for the 448 days he has already spent incarcerated.
The court also ordered that more than $4,800 in real cash taken at the time of Brooks’ arrest be used to pay court fines he has been given.