Last of ‘15 heroin defendants sentenced
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
A man wanted for almost two years for his role in a heroin ring was sentenced Thursday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to six years in prison.
Hiawatha “Yoda” Johnson, 30, received the sentence from Judge Lou D’Apolito after he pleaded guilty to charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, two counts of complicity to trafficking in heroin and trafficking in heroin.
Authorities said Johnson was found May 25 at the home of his girlfriend, one of 36 co-defendants in the case, which was indicted in July 2015. Johnson is the last defendant to be sentenced.
When he was found, police searched the house of Johnson’s girlfriend and found him hiding in a refrigerator.
Johnson apologized before he was sentenced.
“I’m sincerely sorry for any pain I caused anyone,” Johnson said.
Judge D’Apolito said Johnson will still be a young man when he is released from prison and he needs to find a plan to ensure that he stays out of trouble and is able to take care of his two children.
As part of the plea agreement, Johnson also forfeited three cellphones as well as a bulletproof vest.
Johnson is set to be sentenced next week by Judge Maureen Sweeney in another case for a probation violation. Under the terms of his plea agreement, that sentence will run concurrent to the sentence he received Thursday.