Man pleads for burglary, threats on cop
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Prosecutors are recommending a sentence of three years for a man who pleaded guilty Thursday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to breaking into the home of his estranged girlfriend, and also threatening a police officer two days later. Sentencing for Michael Esposito, 35, of Mathews Road, will be before Judge Lou D’Apolito following a presentence investigation.
Esposito pleaded guilty to felony charges of burglary, retaliation and menacing by stalking, and a misdemeanor count of domestic violence.
The burglary and domestic violence charges come from an Oct. 11 incident at the Struthers home of his girlfriend, who is mother of his two children, when the two had an argument. Prosecutors refused to comment on details and a Struthers police report was unavailable.
On Oct. 13, Boardman police were called to a business in the township where the victim worked because Esposito was threatening her. Reports said when an officer showed up to take a police report from the victim, he answered the phone when Esposito called and when he identified himself as a police officer, Esposito became hostile and asked for the victim to come to the phone.
Esposito then called back several minutes later and when the officer gave him a criminal trespass warning for the store, Esposito threatened the officer, saying that he would beat up the officer.
Esposito was arrested a few days later by U.S. Marshals.
Court records show Esposito has a prior conviction for menacing by stalking in common pleas court.