Telego convicted on one count in brain injury of infant son

YOUNGSTOWN

Devin Telego testified in front of a jury this week to defend himself in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on charges he caused brain injuries to his 3-month-old son.

But he refused to speak at his sentencing hearing Wednesday after a jury convicted him Tuesday of a single third-degree felony count of child endangering.

Judge R. Scott Krichbaum sentenced Telego to three years in prison, the maximum sentence allowed for a third-degree felony conviction.

Telego was taken into custody in May after he was indicted by a grand jury on a third-degree felony count of child endangering and two second-degree felony counts of the same charge. Jurors deadlocked 11-1 on the two second-degree felonies.

Telego is accused of causing the injuries Jan. 10 in Austintown.

Assistant Prosecutor Steve Maszczak said Telego was the only person present just before the baby went to the hospital, and medical evidence showed that the injury could only be caused by a hard blow to the head or a fall from two stories up.

Defense attorney Mark Lavelle said that it is hard to know how the baby was injured.

Lavelle asked for probation or a sentence shorter than the maximum, saying his client has served five months in jail, has family support, is a worker and has never been in trouble with the law before.

Read more about the case in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.