Trumbull grand jury indicts 32 on drug-related offenses, two on rape charges

Staff report

WARREN

The war on drug abuse marches on in Trumbull County, where a grand jury report released Friday contains indictments against 52 people, 32 of whom are charged with at least one drug offense.

Among the drug charges are numerous counts of possession of heroin and cocaine, aggravated possession of drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia and conveyance of drugs of abuse onto grounds of a government facility.

The list contains just one charge associated with drug dealing – one count of trafficking in marijuana.

Trumbull County had a record number of cases presented to a grand jury in 2014 – 999 – a number county Prosecutor Dennis Watkins attributed to the county’s huge drug-abuse problem.

Watkins also said the percentage of cases tied to drugs presented to a grand jury also was at a record level in 2014 – 40 percent.

The grand jury report also contains indictments against two men charged with rape.

Nickolas A. Gensert, 18, of Burton, Ohio, is charged with raping a child, age 3, May 11. If convicted, he faces a possible life prison sentence.

His charge accuses him of compelling the child to engage in sexual conduct by force or threat of force.

Anthony J. DePaul, 20, of Royal Mall Drive in Niles, meanwhile, was indicted on four counts of rape for offenses alleged to have occurred Feb. 14.

His charges accuse him of raping a person who is impaired because of a mental or physical condition.

Also indicted was Garry J. Greathouse, 52, of Warren-Ravenna Road, Braceville Township, on one count of felonious assault and one count of misdemeanor criminal trespass after purportedly hitting a neighbor with an ax handle during an argument March 16.

All three men are scheduled for arraignments in county common pleas court at 11 a.m. Monday before Judge Peter Kontos.