Former hit man gets 12 years for drug trafficking

YOUNGSTOWN — A major drug offender who went to prison for a 1996 mob assassination has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for cocaine and heroin possession and trafficking and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court imposed the prison time today on George Wilkins III, 41, of McClure Street, Struthers, who pleaded guilty in October. Wilkins will be on parole for five years after prison.

When Struthers police pulled over Wilkins on State Street in August 2013, they found 6.6 pounds of pure

cocaine and 3.3 pounds of pure heroin inside his car, with a combined value of about $240,000.

Wilkins initially refused to leave his car when stopped, and exited only after police

broke a window, said Struthers Police Chief Tim Roddy.

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com