METRO DIGEST || Man pleads guilty to rape of child

Man pleads guilty to rape of child

WARREN

Jesse Young, 40, of Maryland Street Northeast, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court to three counts of rape involving a child 4 or 5 years old and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Young walked into the Warren Police Department in May and admitted the crimes, which occurred in 2012.

The victim was with him when he entered the police station. She was taken into the custody of Trumbull County Children Services. No suitable family member had been found at the time to care for her, police said.

Young told a detective he needed to confess that he had inappropriately touched the girl, but he later admitted more serious offenses.

Killed own dog

WARREN

A Clemmens Avenue Northwest man shot and killed his own dog after it attacked his girlfriend Tuesday during an argument between him and his girlfriend at 11:37 p.m. Tuesday at their house.

The man said his 4-year-old mixed-breed dog overheard the argument, escaped from his cage inside the house and bit his girlfriend, 29, causing a minor injury.

The man, however, said he became frightened for his girlfriend’s life when she fell to the ground and the dog grabbed her legs, so he killed the dog.

The woman was transported to ValleyCare Trumbull Memorial Hospital for treatment.

O’Grady appealing election ruling

WARREN

At its meeting at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, the Trumbull County Board of Elections will schedule a hearing on the appeal of Joseph O’Grady to the board’s decision to remove him from the March 15 primary ballot as a candidate for sheriff.

O’Grady, a Democrat, filed a letter with the elections board Wednesday stating he would appeal.

The Warren Police Department retiree missed the deadline by one day to provide the elections board with documentation indicating that he met the minimum qualifications for the office.

O’Grady said he used guidance provided by the elections board regarding the rules, but learned Dec. 16 that the deadline for the information was Dec. 16. He asked Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas about it Dec. 16 and was advised to return with the documentation the next day, which he did, O’Grady said.

Mom pleads guilty to crash with infant

WARREN

Brandi L. Cottrell, 23, of Walter Street in Campbell, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court to felony child endangering and misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs for an October 2013 single-vehicle crash.

The crash on state Route 7 in Kinsman seriously injured Cottrell and her baby, 2 months old. The baby was flown from St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital to Akron Children’s Hospital in critical condition and suffered a fractured skull.

Her car went off the right side of the road, hit a ditch and an embankment, went airborne and hit a tree. Tests indicated the presence of marijuana in her system.

She will be sentenced after the county’s Adult Probation Department conducts a pre-sentence investigation.

Police searching for assault suspects

YOUNGSTOWN

City police searched but could not find a group of men who assaulted another man at a Gluck Street apartment on the East Side at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The victim was taken to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital. Police searched two other apartments with guns drawn and a wooded area looking for the suspects but could not find them. Campbell police assisted.

Husband wanted to sell wife for drugs

GIRARD

Police are looking for a man whose wife claims he threatened to sell her for drugs, according to 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner.

Girard authorities issued a warrant for the arrest of James Mrofchak, 44, charging him with domestic violence.

Police were called to the Mrofchak home on West Second Street on Dec. 20, where they found Jacquelyn Mrofchak.

They say the woman had blood on her face and clothing. She also had scratches and welts on her face.

The victim claims her husband is on crack and needs money. She told police he threatened to sell her for drugs.

When she refused, he beat punched her in the face several times, she said.