Thursday, September 20, 2018
Gun-drug sentencing
YOUNGSTOWN
Edward Hines III, 29, is set be sentenced Friday in federal court after pleading guilty to a five-count indictment charging him with having guns and selling drugs.
A sentencing memorandum by his lawyers also asked Judge Patricia A. Gaughan of the U.S. Northern District Court of Ohio to disregard a career-offender status for Hines because most of the drug transactions he has pleaded guilty to throughout the years were minor and used to fuel his own drug addiction.
Hines pleaded guilty June 15 to an indictment charging him with having heroin, fentanyl and cocaine. He also possessed a .223-caliber assault rifle, an AK-47 assault rifle and a Glock 9 mm handgun July 12. Because of his previous drug-trafficking convictions, he is barred from having a gun.
Closed to cut brush
YOUNGSTOWN
The city street department is working with the Ohio Department of Transportation to remove brush from the Himrod Avenue Expressway on Friday through Sunday from Interstate 680 to South Avenue. That section of the expressway will be closed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. those days. Detours will be posted. Also, the expressway’s on and off ramps from the Madison Avenue Expressway will have partial lane closures during that time.
Case is bound over
AUSTINTOWN
The felonious-assault case against a man also accused of killing his 4-month-old daughter has been bound over to the Mahoning County grand jury.
Christian A. Sumpter, 24, of North Roanoke Avenue, was back in the county area court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing on a felonious-assault charge. He remains in the county jail on a $150,000 bond.
Sumpter is set for arraignment Tuesday in county Common Pleas Court in the death of his daughter Adaleah Sumpter earlier this month.
According to 911 reports, the girl fell and struck her head while in Sumpter’s care Sept. 2. Though initial reports suggested Sumpter was tossing the girl playfully then lost control and dropped her, Austintown police investigated suspicions the infant was dropped on purpose. A grand jury indicted him last week.
Hamad kin to appeal
WARREN
The family of Nasser Hamad and others are proceeding with the appeal seeking to overturn Hamad’s aggravated-murder and attempted aggravated-murder convictions, despite his Sept. 9 death.
Magistrate Shibani Sheth-Massacci of the Warren-based 11th District Court of Appeals this week approved an extension for the Trumbull County Prosecutor’s Office to file its response brief to Hamad’s appeal. The prosecutor’s office has until Oct. 17 to file it. Atty. Geoffrey Oglesby, who was part of Hamad’s trial team, said Hamad’s death doesn’t necessarily end his appeal.
More Digest on A5