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Woman gets break in protection order case
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
There will be no third time for Shalaya Mitchell to avoid major time behind bars.
She pleaded no contest and was found guilty Wednesday in municipal court by Judge Elizabeth Kobly for violating a protection order twice in just over two weeks. She was ordered not to have contact with the father of her child.
The 23-year-old woman was warned about what will happen should she violate the order again.
First, she would serve 11 consecutive months in the Mahoning County jail. And a third violation would also be a felony charge, which would mean she would be eligible to go to prison if found guilty.
As it is, Mitchell will serve 17 days in jail to be added to the 13 she has served since she was arrested for violating the order the second time, but Judge Kobly said that was a gift she did not feel like giving. Prosecutors, however, recommended the sentence.
“This is not a game,” Judge Kobly said. “Leave this man alone.”
The maximum sentence for each charge is six months in the county jail.
Mitchell was accused of visiting the man at his workplace June 2, the first violation of the order. She was arraigned the next day and given a bond of $5,000 cash or surety, which she posted.
The second violation occurred June 18, and she was given a bond of $10,000 at her arraignment on that charge the next day, which she has not been able to post.
She also has a pending criminal-trespass charge in municipal court with a trial date set for July 22. In May, she pleaded guilty to a disorderly conduct charge in Mahoning County Area Court in Boardman, which was amended from a theft charge, and she was also barred from being in the Walmart there.
When asked by Judge Kobly why she violated the order twice, Mitchell said in a voice that could barely be heard that she needed to see the man because she needed help with their child.
Judge Kobly said the worst thing she could do for her child was to violate the order, because she would go to jail for a long time and the county Children Services Board would then probably take custody of the child.
“You can probably do jail on your head but your child will suffer,” Judge Kobly said.
“I didn’t mean to,” Mitchell answered. “I just needed help with [our child].”
Judge Kobly said the order is in effect for five years, and she asked Mitchell what she plans to do after she gets out of jail. Mitchell said she wants to get a job and care for her son.
Defense attorney Michael Gollings asked Judge Kobly to stay the additional 17 days for his client, but Judge Kobly said because she violated the order twice, she was not going to release her from jail until she serves 30 days. She also said any violation would result in immediately being placed in jail for 11 months.