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Young murderer could face decades in prison
YOUNGSTOWN
A 20-year-old is facing the prospect of spending many decades in prison after a jury convicted him on all counts in the April 29, 2013, murder of a 26-year-old man on the city’s North Side.
Kalontae Carter, of Norwood Avenue, was convicted by a jury Tuesday morning of all counts in the shooting death of Kristopher Stuart during a drug deal in Stuart’s Elm Street residence.
The jury deliberated four hours at the end of a one-week trial before convicting Carter of aggravated murder, murder, aggravated robbery and felonious assault with firearm specifications.
Before the trial, Carter rejected a plea deal, in which prosecutors offered to recommend a 14-year prison term.
Judge Lou A. D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court presided over the trial.
A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Carter, who was 17 at the time of the crimes, and his uncle, DeJuan Thomas, 33, were indicted in the slaying of Stuart, who was found dead with a .357-caliber revolver next to him.
Stuart had been shot 11 times with two .40-caliber handguns, which police never found.
Carter and Thomas were wounded in the shooting, which prosecutors said occurred after they had gone to Stuart’s residence to rob him of drugs.
Carter’s lawyer, Jeffrey Limbian, said Carter was shot while struggling with Stuart for Stuart’s gun.
Thomas was fatally shot outside a South Side bar in February 2015 in an unrelated case.
A man who admitted killing Thomas is in prison.
Nick Brevetta, an assistant county prosecutor, credited Detective Rick Spotleson of the Youngstown Police Department and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation for the investigation that led to Carter’s conviction.
The biggest challenge for the prosecution was uncooperative witnesses, Brevetta said.
Carter faces up to 30 years in prison on the aggravated murder charge.
“He could be looking at somewhere over 50 [years] to life” in prison, when the other charges and firearm specifications are considered, Brevetta said.
“He would be eligible for life without parole if he was an adult when this took place,” Brevetta said.
However, since he was only 17 at the time of the slaying, he must be made eligible for parole, Brevetta explained.