43
67-year-old Leavittsburg man sentenced to life in prison
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
John C. Grantz, 67, of Burnett Road in Leavittsburg pleaded guilty Thursday to repeatedly raping one girl over seven years and molesting another girl.
Judge Ronald Rice of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court sentenced him to life in prison with parole eligibility after 10 years.
The rapes occurred between summer 2006 and July of this year, when the older of the two girls, then age 13, reported the offenses. The other victim is one year younger.
Grantz’s wife, Patricia A. Grantz, also 67 and also of the Burnett Road residence, pleaded guilty last month to one misdemeanor count of endangering children, accused of violating a duty of care, protection or support of the children. She will be sentenced later.
In another case, Francis Fasline, 22, of Wrenfield Drive in Hubbard was sentenced to five years in prison Thursday after a jury found him guilty in October of felonious assault and tampering with evidence.
The charges stemmed from a 12:38 a.m. incident Sept. 29, 2012, outside of Michael’s Bar on North Main Street in Hubbard. James Capperes, 29, of Georgetown Street, Sharpsville, Pa., was hit by a car driven by Fasline after the two had a confrontation earlier.
During a trial before Judge Rice, Capperes described the manner in which he was pinned against his car and knocked to the ground by the crash as he stood next to his car with the door open. He suffered injuries to both legs.
Judge Rice also granted judicial release to Ervin E. Kempf, 29, of College Street in West Farmington, who served about 10 months of a 24-month prison term Judge Rice imposed in February on two counts of gross sexual imposition involving a minor female.
Kempf will serve house arrest, is placed on five years of probation and is ordered to have no contact with minors. He is classified as a Tier 3 sex offender.
In another case, Todd Smith, 25, of West Gate Drive in Braceville Township has pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, two counts of aggravated robbery and two counts of felonious assault in a March 14 robbery in Arhaven Mobile Home Park.
He will be sentenced Jan. 8 by Judge W. Wyatt McKay of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court and could get more than 10 years in prison.
Smith and Gina C. Little, 19, of Akron and Smith’s address on West Gate Drive were charged after police said they broke into a neighbor’s mobile home wearing masks and demanded money and drugs.
During the robbery, Smith stabbed Jamie Stein, 33, seven times, causing serious injuries, and stabbed Timothy J. Wagner, 31, at least once, police said.
Little pleaded guilty in June to two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of aggravated burglary and was sentenced to three years in prison.