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Career criminal accepts plea deal
boardman
Steven Direnzo, labeled a career criminal by authorities, accepted a plea agreement Tuesday before Judge Joseph M. Houser of Mahoning County Area Court.
Boardman police and the sheriff’s office teamed up and obtained a search warrant for Direnzo’s Mathews Road residence, where they found a large quantity of jewelry, tools, radio equipment, narcotics, drug paraphernalia and potential identification cards belonging to possible crime victims.
Direnzo was arrested June 11 on charges of receiving stolen property and tampering with evidence.
A felony charge of tampering with evidence was bound over to a Mahoning County grand jury as Direnzo waived his right to a preliminary hearing.
The state dismissed a misdemeanor charge of receiving stolen property, said Ron Knickerbocker, Direnzo’s attorney.
Police charged Direnzo with operating a vehicle impaired and driving under suspension in a pickup that did not have a license plate on June 11 while police were executing the search warrant.
“[Direnzo’s] entering a plea of guilty on one count, driving under the influence,” Knickerbocker said.
Direnzo was fined $525 plus court costs. He has 30 days to pay the fine, Judge Houser said. The judge also sentenced Direnzo to 180 days in jail, 170 being suspended, six months of probation subject to a two-year suspension of his driver’s license.
The specific term and condition of probation — an alcohol, drug assessment — will be arranged with the community control department, “and treatment if deemed necessary,” Judge Houser said. “The balance of the charges are being dismissed ...”
The judge added that the 170 suspended days in jail can be reimposed if Direnzo violates the terms of the agreement.
Knickerbocker said after Tuesday’s pretrial hearing that the terms of the agreement are “fine.” He said he foresees Direnzo being indicted on the tampering with evidence charge, which could carry a five-year term in the state peniten-tiary if he’s convicted.
“It comes down to the grand jury, then we’ll go to the arraignment, and then [Direnzo] will be assigned to a court ... and we’ll proceed with litigating the issues,” Knickerbocker said.
Direnzo’s Mahoning County criminal record includes an October 2005 sentencing of two years probation after he pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking.
He was also sentenced in June 2009 after he pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary with a firearm specification, which he was granted judicial release, according to Vindicator files.
He’s also expected to be extradited to Pennsylvania to answer to possible home invasion charges after a woman reported to police that a similar man had broken into her Pulaski, Pa., residence. Knickerbocker said he doesn’t know what’s going to happen with Direnzo regarding those charges.
Josh Lamancusa, Lawrence County district attorney, wasn’t available for comment.