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Man gets at least 7.5 years in heroin ring case
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
One of the leaders of a heroin ring on the East Side that prosecutors targeted last summer was sentenced Thursday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to at least seven and a half years in prison.
Judge Shirley J. Christian denied a request by Terrence Rushton, 33, of Salt Springs Road, to allow him to report for sentencing in three weeks. Rushton said he wanted the extra time to spend with his children until they are finished with school. The judge said no.
“I see people in here every day addicted to the stuff you were selling, and lots of them have kids,” Judge Christian said.
The judge also said the sentencing date was agreed to March 18 and Rushton has had plenty of time to say his goodbyes.
Rushton, who authorities said was one of the leading players of the ring, pleaded guilty to a charge of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, complicity to trafficking in heroin and more than 20 counts of trafficking in heroin of varying grades of felonies, two counts trafficking in cocaine, three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and money laundering.
Rushton was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but prosecutors agreed to not oppose a motion for early release after seven and a half years if he behaves.
Rushton’s lawyer, Mark Carofolo, said his client does not have a major felony record but he simply got caught up in the lifestyle of selling drugs.
“Unfortunately, he got caught up in the environment he was in,” Carfolo said.
Rushton apologized.
“I’m ashamed of what I’ve done,” Rushton said. “I’ve made some poor choices.”
Authorities indicted 37 people last July, and 35 of them have had their cases disposed of, although a few still await sentencing. There are still warrants out for two people who could not be found.
About a dozen people were identified as leaders of the ring, and the idea was to give them prison sentences. The rest were identified as users and were given sentences leaning toward treatment in order to cure them of their addictions, both to dry up the market for the drug and to stop them from committing crimes to get money for their addiction.
Sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of felonious assault, being a felon in possession of a firearm and a firearm specification was Samuel Richard, 27, who skipped a sentencing date in September. He was picked up by Youngstown police Monday responding to a call of a fight with weapons.
Richard was originally slated to receive four years but because he skipped his sentencing, his sentence was doubled. He is accused of shooting at a woman last March. Prosecutors said he was “muscle” for the ring.
Also in court was Mark Piroch, 27, of Austintown, whose sentencing was postponed two weeks ago so that he could find a secure treatment facility to battle his addiction. He found one, and Judge Christian agreed to sentence him to get treatment, but he must complete the entire nine months of treatment or he will go to prison, the judge said. She said this is his last chance.