Christian takes plea to move forward with life

YOUNGSTOWN

Duniek Christian told a Mahoning County Common Pleas Court judge Tuesday it was time.

Time to end a case against him that stretched back to July 1, 2005.

Christian, 30, pleaded guilty before Judge Shirley J. Christian to seven counts of complicity to commit felonious assault for a rolling gunbattle with police on the East Side that July, heading off a trial that was to begin Monday.

Prosecutors and defense attorney David Engler agreed on a sentence of eight years plus an additional three years for a firearm specification that a firearm was used. The maximum sentence he could have received was 73 years in prison. He was given credit for 2,555 days served.

Christian said he wants to serve his sentence and start living his life. He said he wants to care for his mother, who has stage 4 cancer, and that several other relatives have died since he has been in jail.

“I just want to get out of jail and raise my daughter,” Christian said. “I want to be the best father I can be. A lot of people have passed since I’ve been in here. I just want to get it over with. I don’t want this hanging over my head.”

Christian said received his GED while he was in jail and also is taking classes through Ashland University for his college degree.

Read more about the case in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.