Sheriff suspends deputies who left their posts on day inmate committed suicide

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene has suspended two deputies, who left their posts for breaks without being properly relieved on the day a jail inmate committed suicide. The suspensions, one for five days and the other for 60 days, are unpaid and effective immediately.

Deputy Nicholas Argeras admitted going on break without first checking whether Deputy Tyler Peters would be on break at the same time, according to an internal affairs report from Cmdr. John Antonucci, which was released this morning.

Argeras is serving a five-day suspension.

Peters admitted leaving his post for a break without being properly relieved.

Peters also admitted he failed to visually check inmates in his pod and submitted to booking a mid-day head count, which was not obtained from an actual physical head count.

Peters is serving a 60-day suspension.

Inmate Kevin P. Burkey, 50, of Lowellville, died by hanging in his cell Aug. 25 after having been jailed on a charge of theft of dangerous drugs from St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.

The sheriff said the deputies accepted the suspensions he imposed on them without challenging them. The Fraternal Order of Police also agreed on the suspensions.

Although Argeras and Peters violated departmental policy, Greene said he believes the outcome would have been the same had the deputies properly performed their duties because the suicide was “so instantaneous” that it would have taken only a few minutes to complete.