Woman indicted in cab driver robberies

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A Mahoning County grand jury Thursday indicted a West Side woman who police accused of stabbing one taxi driver and robbing another.

Desiree Byrd, 19, of South Dunlap Avenue, was indicted on charges of attempted murder, two counts of felonious assault and four counts of aggravated robbery.

She is accused of stabbing a 33-year-old taxi driver late May 18 on Gibson Street on the South Side. Reports said the driver picked up a woman and two men, and when he asked for the fare, one of the men put a gun to his head and demanded money and the woman stabbed him in the stomach. All three then ran away.

The other robbery Byrd is accused of taking part in occurred May 14, when a man and a woman robbed a 28-year-old driver who reports said was asked to take the couple to Taft Avenue, also on the South Side.

The man had a gun, and the woman put a knife to the man’s stomach, reports said. The driver wrestled with them before the pair managed to get away with $60.

Byrd has been in the county jail on $650,000 bond since her arrest May 20.

Also indicted by the grand jury was Casimier Mitchell, 19, and Lee Wright, 21, both of Wick Oval, on misdemeanor charges of improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle.

Mitchell has an additional misdemeanor charge of discharging a firearm on or near prohibited premises.

The two were originally charged with felonies, which were bound over to the grand jury from municipal court.

Youngstown State University police arrested Mitchell on May 22 and Wright the day after on charges of improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle. A YSU officer heard several gunshots early May 22 then pulled over a car from where the shots came from.

Reports said the officer searched the car and found a loaded gun and a shell casing in the trunk. Mitchell admitted firing the gun, reports said.

He was taken into custody, and Wright, who was also in the car, was taken into custody a day later.

The pair are both YSU football players.

The grand jury also indicted the following:

Deshawn Williams, 27, Trumbull Court, Liberty, aggravated possession of drugs.

Nicholas Rosta, 47, North Ellsworth Road, Salem, possession of drugs.

Edmund Miller, 38, Center Street, Struthers, aggravated possession of drugs.

Jason Harmon, 25, Verona Avenue, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle, criminal trespass, aggravated menacing and trespass in habitation.

Johnny McGilvary, 40, Erie Street, possession of cocaine with a forfeiture specification.

John Boland, 34, Creed Street, Struthers, possession of cocaine and operating a vehicle impaired.

Darrell E. Williams, 19, West Indiana Avenue, Sebring, illegal manufacture of drugs, illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs and endangering children.

Timothy James Brown, 44, Mabel Avenue, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, receiving stolen property, assault and resisting arrest.

Brandon Davanzo, 19, Tibbetts-Wick Road, Girard, trafficking in marijuana.

Michael Emery, 29, East Judson Avenue, possession of heroin, possession of cocaine and theft.

Marco Hammond, 19, Duncan Lane, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle, trafficking in marijuana with a forfeiture specification and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia.

Lindsey Hawn, 30, Oneta Avenue, seven counts of possession of drugs and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia.

Tierra Hopson, 25, Fruit Street, Farrell, Pa., improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle and carrying concealed weapons.

Anna Jones, 54, East Avondale Avenue, possession of cocaine, possession of drugs and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ryan Kashubara, 29, Westchester Avenue, operating a vehicle impaired, possession of cocaine, aggravated possession of drugs and illegal conveyance of prohibited items onto the grounds of a detention facility.

James R. Snowden, 31, Madison Avenue, theft and receiving stolen property.

Collin Turner, 32, Burlington Avenue, possession of cocaine, aggravated possession of drugs and possession of drugs.

Phyllis Williams, 58, Plymouth Street, possession of cocaine and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia.

Michael Young, 34, West Indianola Avenue, possession of heroin, possession of drugs, possession of cocaine with a forfeiture specification and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia.

Adam L. Tyson, 33, West Tennessee Avenue, Sebring, illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs, endangering children and aggravated possession of drugs.

Freddie L. Robinson, 55, Helena Avenue, illegal conveyance of prohibited items onto the grounds of a detention facility and possession of cocaine.

Audrey L. Wylie, 32, Steubenville-Pike Road, Lisbon, theft, identity fraud and misuse of a credit card.

James P. Petrella, 27, Elm Drive, nonsupport of dependents.

Bruce A. Phram, 33, Trumbull Court, Liberty, two counts of nonsupport of dependents.

Robert Chise, 45, Youngstown-Hubbard Road, Hubbard, two counts of nonsupport of dependents.

Cornelius Booth, 39, Avondale Avenue, three counts of nonsupport of dependents.