Hubbard man forged document to sell bronze veteran cemetery plaques

Staff report

WARREN

A Hubbard man will serve 90 days in the Trumbull County jail and spend five years on probation for forging a document in an attempt to sell bronze veteran cemetery plaques.

Seth W. Keyes, 37, of Creed Avenue, pleaded guilty in July to one count of forgery for giving a phony letter to Girard Recycling in Girard in November 2013.

The letter purportedly was from the commander of American Legion Post 301 in Austintown claiming Keyes had permission to sell the markers.

But an investigation by the Austintown Police Department indicated that the letter was not legitimate.

Girard Recycling became suspicious because Keyes had called earlier, asking what was needed to sell the grave markers. The owner of Girard Recycling called Girard police, and Keyes ran out of the recycling center with the plaques.

Gabe Wildman, assistant Trumbull County prosecutor, said it has not been determined where the plaques came from, and the plaques were never recovered.

Judge Ronald Rice of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court ordered Keys to perform 400 hours of community service for veterans organizations.

Keyes also pleaded guilty to heroin possession in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court in June and was accepted in the Mahoning County drug-court program.