Sex sting suspects indicted by grand jury

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A Mahoning County grand jury indicted 11 people, one of them a former teacher in the Youngstown city schools, on charges they tried to solicit minors for sex.

James Norkus, 24, of Perry Grange Road, Salem, and the other 10 are accused of having sexually explicit conversations online with an undercover officer posing as a 14- or 15-year-old child, then arranging to meet the officers in Mahoning County with the intent to have sexual relations.

The men were arrested during Operation Pedi Cure II in late August.

Norkus was a physical-education teacher at Kirkmere Elementary School but was suspended without pay after he was arrested.

Those besides Norkus who were indicted Thursday, all on charges of importuning, attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and possession of criminal tools, are:

Robert Canann Jr., 50, of Hiram Avenue, Niles; Justin Coyne, 21, of Cleveland; Adam Dziedzic, 38, of New Castle, Pa.; Brandon Gorcheff, 26, of West South Range Road, North Lima; Thomas Maylone Jr., 29, of Michigan Avenue, East Liverpool; Kevin McNally, 23, of Waggaman Circle, Boardman; Alexander Morlan, 21, of Deltona Drive, New Middletown; Andrew Nuzzi, 22, of Red Oak Drive, Girard; Peter Petroff Jr., 41, of Wychwood Drive, Youngstown; and Edward Webker, 41, of state Route 7, Andover.

Officers with the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office conducted the operation with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

The grand jury also indicted the following people:

John Mark Re, 26, c/o Mahoning County jail, tampering with evidence, possession of drugs and possessing drug-abuse instruments.

Ramon Cooper, 27, East Avondale Avenue, bribery and assault.

Austin Larsen, 20, Garden Valley Drive, Boardman, obstructing official business, inducing panic, domestic violence and resisting arrest.

Ryan Tyler Stevens, 23, Potomac Avenue, two counts receiving stolen property.

William Kerensky, 33, North Evanston Avenue, breaking and entering.

Jeremiah Vinion, 35, Compass West Drive, Austintown, aggravated possession of drugs, obstructing official business and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Michelle Jordonek Bramlett, 56, Beaver Falls, Pa., possession of cocaine, aggravated possession of drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jerrell Shorter, 21, Willis Avenue, aggravated possession of drugs.

Francis Barbuto Jr., 23, Aliquippa, Pa., theft.

Nyasia Lopez, 23, East Lewis Street, Struthers, receiving stolen property and misuse of credit cards.

Ryan Friendly, 27, Woodside Avenue, two counts of carrying concealed weapons and two counts of possession of drugs with forfeiture specifications.

Abimael Vazquez, 38, Gertrude Avenue, Campbell, illegal conveyance of prohibited items onto the grounds of a detention facility, possession of drugs and two counts of possession of dangerous drugs.

Nathan Dekatch, 30, Rockdale Avenue, Boardman, forgery, theft from elderly and receiving stolen property.

Edward Lightning, 34, Shehy Avenue, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Devon Royal, 29, Ambert Street, being a felon in possession of a firearm, improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle and aggravated menacing.

Ryan Trimacco, 32, Manor Avenue, Struthers, two counts of aggravated possession of drugs.

Marc Chicase, 40, Forest Park Place, Boardman, intimidation, retaliation and two counts of domestic violence.

Jonathan Lee, aka Jon Tae Lee, 25, East Avondale Avenue, three counts of unlawful sexual contact with a minor.

Morris Perry Sr., 76, East Florida Avenue, rape.

Nicholas Garritano, 23, Albany Court, Canfield, four counts receiving stolen property and four counts forgery.