Gamble gets 4-plus years in death of girlfriend's young son

YOUNGSTOWN

A man who pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the overdose death of his girlfriend’s 9-year-old son will spend four-and-a-half years in prison.

Judge R. Scott Krichbaum sentenced Kevin Gamble, 38, of Midland Avenue to consecutive sentences of three years on a charge of involuntary manslaughter and one-and-a-half years on a charge of endangering children.

He will also serve five years’ parole upon release.

Marcus Lee, the son of Gamble’s girlfriend, died the day after Christmas last year by ingesting cocaine police said belonged to Gamble, who has prior drug trafficking convictions.

Raenell Allen, who is Marcus’s mother and Gamble’s girlfriend, told investigators Gamble was dealing drugs at the time.

At sentencing, Gamble broke out in tears while expressing remorse for Marcus’s death, but denied responsibility by claiming drug dealing was in his past and said investigators used him as a “scapegoat” because of his record.

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