Man pleads guilty to voluntary manslaughter

YOUNGSTOWN

A man entered a guilty plea to a charge of voluntary manslaughter just before 12 p.m. today in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Walter Drake, 29, of Hilton Avenue, entered the plea before Judge Maureen Sweeney for the June 13, 2012, shooting death of 24-year-old Dion Weatherspoon.

Weatherspoon was found shot to death in the yard of Drake’s 246 Hilton Ave. home with six gunshot wounds. Police said the pair were arguing before Weatherspoon was shot.

A sentencing date has not been set yet.

Prosecutors are recommending a sentence of 14 years, 11 years on the voluntary manslaughter charge and an additional three years for a firearm specification. Defense attorney Lou DeFabio said he will argue for a sentence of eight years at Drake’s sentencing.