Pair plead to fraud charges; await sentencing

WARREN — Two of the five men arrested during a traffic stop on the Ohio Turnpike in Braceville Towship in November have pleaded guilty to reduced charges and will be sentenced later.

Zakaria O. Warsame, 35, of Columbus, pleaded guilty Monday before Judge Peter Kontos to one count of complicity to identity fraud and one count of possessing criminal tools.

Jibril M. Abdiselam, 24, of Seattle, pleaded guilty to one count of forgery and one count of complicity to identity fraud.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol made the stop because of two driving violations. The officer smelled marijuana, which led to a search of the car.

The search turned up a scanner, embosser and other tools used to make fake cards; marijuana also was found.

Warsame and Abdiselam will be sentenced in about a four weeks, after the Trumbull County Adult Probation Department conducts a presentence investigation into their backgrounds.

They could each get about one year in prison or probation.