Man gets decade for role in overdose death | News, Sports, Jobs

YOUNGSTOWN – Two men from Warren were sentenced to federal prison terms last week in U.S. district court.

A Warren man was sentenced Thursday to 10 years and 10 months in prison after a federal jury returned seven guilty verdicts in late May for him for supplying a potent opiate that caused Warren to overdose in 2018.

Maurice Washington, 34, of West Avenue NW, appeared before Judge Patricia A. Gaughan, who sentenced him to consecutive sentences.

A North Ohio District Court jury found Washington guilty of three counts of distributing cocaine, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute tramadol, possession of ‘a firearm as part of a crime of drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Washington, who was acquitted of a fentanyl distribution count, was also assessed at $ 700 in court costs, records show.

The three-day trial, which ended on May 27, saw testimony from the prosecution and the defense.

According to the indictment, Washington provided the fentanyl that caused the death on September 29, 2018 of a person in Warren. The indictment only identifies the victim with the initials “CB”

Washington has been in federal custody since fall 2019. Investigators said when Washington was arrested in Warren he had three pistols with him.

Also Thursday, Donald E. Jones Jr., 40, of 1756 Oak St. SW, Warren, was sentenced to 10 years and four months in federal custody on a jury conviction of four counts of offenses related to drugs and weapons.

Jones was convicted of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute tramadol, possession of a firearm as part of the crime of drug trafficking and be a criminal in possession of firearms and ammunition. The verdicts were delivered after a three-day trial before Judge Daniel A. Polster in Cleveland.

Jones, who was represented by attorney Jay Milano, made his own defense on Wednesday. Among the prosecution witnesses was Police Sergeant Warren. John Dina and Officers Michael Edwards, Donald Shipman and William Fowler. The accused was indicted in April 2019 for crimes that took place in November 2018, according to the indictment.