Prosecutors recommend six years in drug case

June 21, 2019 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Prosecutors are recommending a six-year prison term for an Alameda Avenue man who pleaded guilty Thursday to drug charges in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Keith Tillis, 30, pleaded guilty to a first degree felony charge of possession of cocaine and a second degree felony charge of possession of cocaine and aggravated possession of drugs.

The first degree felony charge comes from an Aug. 1 search warrant served by city police at a Campbell Street home where officers found a large amount of cocaine.

The second degree felony and aggravated possession of drugs charges come from a July 10 traffic stop on the East Side, where officers found a large amount of cocaine in Tillis’ pants.

Sentencing will follow a pre-sentence investigation. Judge Anthony D’Apolito accepted the plea.

At the time of the August search warrant, Tillis was out on bond in the traffic stop case.

Bradley Olson, the attorney for Tillis, said he would argue for a lesser sentence at the time of sentencing. Thursday’s pleas averted a suppression hearing in both cases.

At one time, Tillis was charged with the 2007 slaying of Martwain Dill, 23, who was gunned down in broad daylight as he was driving his truck on Glenwood Avenue by a group of men wielding AK-47 assault rifles. Charges against him were dismissed.

In 2014, Tillis was also charged along with 11 other people for being a member of a West Side gang. He served a three and a half year prison sentence in that case.

As part of his pleas, Tillis must forfeit $2,069 that was seized during the Aug. 2 search warrant and $120 seized when he was arrested during the traffic stop.