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Judge wants treatment before handing down sentence
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Municipal Judge Robert Milich on Friday delayed the sentencing of a former mayoral candidate on misdemeanor charges and a probation violation until he can review plans to continue mental-health treatment for the defendant.
John Crea was to be sentenced before Judge Milich on charges of probation violation and three counts of aggravated menacing. Crea requested to be allowed to leave the Doris Burdman group home where he has been treated for mental illness so he can stay with his ailing father at his home in Hubbard.
Judge Milich said he wanted a plan in place with goals and milestones for Crea to meet and also to hear from the people who have been treating him before making up his mind.
“My primary concern at this point is you continue to get counseling and medication,” Judge Milich told Crea. “You’ve come a long way. You’ve made a lot of progress.”
Crea said he has been receiving medication and treatment at the group home but he wants to be able to care for his father. He said the ordeal has been hard on his father, and he wants to find a way to make it up to him.
“I want to alleviate some of that,” Crea said.
Crea, who ran for mayor in 2013, was arrested in a Sept. 30 incident in which he was charged with threatening three people at an East Midlothian Boulevard apartment complex where he lived.
He already was on probation and ordered to undergo a mental-health evaluation after he spent 21 days in the Mahoning County jail after he was charged with threatening a guard at city hall Aug. 30. He spent the time in jail because he could not afford to post his bail after he was arraigned.
He never underwent that evaluation, so he was jailed the second time to make sure he had the evaluation.
Judge Milich said he wants to make sure there is a plan in place for Crea should he be allowed to return home. Crea told Judge Milich he had friends and others who have offered to drive him to counseling sessions, but Judge Milich said he needs something firmer than the words of friends before he makes his decision.
“There’s a lot of things that need to be nailed down here before I make my decision,” Judge Milich said.
Crea’s sentencing was moved to July 18. He will stay in the Doris Burdman home until then.