43
Man gets six years for West Side home invasion
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
A judge sentenced the last of three men who pleaded guilty to a home invasion on the West Side last summer to six years in prison.
Sterling Owens, 25, of North Raccoon Road in Austintown, received the same sentence Wednesday from Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court as two co-defendants did for a single count of aggravated burglary and two counts of aggravated robbery with a firearm specification.
Owens, along with Dwaylyn Nadal, 29, and Derek Royal, 25, all pleaded guilty May 28. Nadal and Royal were sentenced June 1.
Defense attorney Lou DeFabio asked Judge Sweeney to stick with the sentencing agreement of six years worked out in the plea bargain. He said his client has no prior felony convictions and just one prior minor misdemeanor.
DeFabio also said the sentence for his client would be the same as the other two defendants if the judge adopted the recommendation.
“I know Mr. Owens recognizes he has made a gigantic mistake,” DeFabio said.
Owens apologized to the judge and said his goal is to stay out of trouble when he is released from prison. He said he hopes to apply for judicial release after he serves at least 31/2 years of his sentence.
“I’m a changed man,” Owens said.
Owens also said he will miss his son while he is in prison.
“I don’t want to be away from my son for 31/2 years,” Owens said. “I just want you to know this was a mistake.”
They are accused of forcing their way into a home in the 100 block of South Schenley Avenue about 1:10 a.m. Aug. 7, 2014.
When officers arrived, they found one of the home’s occupants on the roof, telling officers there were men inside with guns.
Police moved to surround the house, and one officer spotted a back door slightly ajar and heard someone say the cops were there and close the door, reports said.
Another person tried to leave through a window, but saw police and pulled back inside.
Two men then came out of the back door and told police there were three men inside with guns. A police dog was called, and Owens surrendered when told the dog was coming inside the home, police said.