Man sentenced on gun, assault charges

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A 20-year-old man was sentenced Tuesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to three years in prison after he entered guilty pleas in two separate cases to charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and felonious assault.

Juwuan Howell already has served about 14 months in the county jail while awaiting the resolution of the cases.

The sentence was handed down by Judge John Durkin, who upheld a recommendation by prosecutors and defense attorneys in the case.

Howell was arrested in August 2017 after a car he was driving was stopped in the middle of the street. Inside, police found a loaded 9 mm handgun.

Later, he was charged with felonious assault, accused of beating another man.

Prosecutors agreed not to oppose a motion for early release if Howell has a good-conduct report in prison. Judge Durkin warned Howell that if his conduct is not good, he will not get an early release.

Howell was given credit for the time he has served in the county jail.