Man given three years on gun charge

October 7, 2016 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Jason Harmon on Thursday told a judge in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court that he does not know where his life went wrong.

But if he wants to get out of prison a year early, he had better figure out how he is going to get it right, Judge Lou A. D’Apolito told him just before he sentenced him to three years on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Harmon, 26, pleaded guilty Aug. 25 to the weapons charges as well as additional counts of criminal trespass and aggravated menacing for two separate incidents April 17 and 19 on the East Side. He is accused of threatening people with guns. Prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed on a three-year sentence with Harmon having to serve two years before he can ask for an early release.

Judge D’Apolito told Harmon, the father of three children, he needs to use the time to figure out what happened in his life that he needs a gun for protection, so he can keep his kids from making the same mistakes.

When the judge asked Harmon, “Where did you go wrong?” Harmon said he did not know.

“That’s probably a question you should try to answer for yourself so your children don’t have the same issue,” Judge D’Apolito told him.

Judge D’Apolito said he could not understand how Harmon, who had served a prison sentence before the two incidents he was arrested for in April, would have a gun. Harmon said he needs a gun for protection. Judge D’Apolito told him he needs to make changes in his life so he is not in those situations because having a gun means going back to prison if he gets caught, and going back to prison means he cannot care for his children.

“You have to get out of this mess,” Judge D’Apolito said.

When asked about his education, Harmon said he dropped out of high school when his first child was born and he does not have a GED. For Harmon to get an early release he must have his GED or his request will be denied, Judge D’Apolito said. The judge also said he wants to see a plan or some kind of idea from Harmon on what he plans to do after prison to keep himself out of trouble and be a productive member of society.

Harmon was charged in two shooting incidents April 17 at the Plaza View apartment complex and late April 19 on Springdale Avenue.

In the first incident, police were not called to the apartment complex until April 21, where Community Police Unit officer Jose Morales Jr. was told Harmon came to the complex, argued with a man, and fired a round from an assault rifle in the air, all while there were several people, including young children, outside.

No one was injured in either incident.