Ohio News Briefs

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Ohio man charged with raping woman during housing inspection

ASHTABULA, Ohio (AP) — A housing inspector under investigation for the theft of $260,000 from a vacant home has been charged with raping a woman during an inspection last September.

The Star Beacon reports 47-year-old John Artuso was arrested Thursday after being indicted on rape, kidnapping and sexual battery charges by an Ashtabula County grand jury.

County Prosecutor Nicholas Iarocci said the victim contacted authorities in December after learning that Artuso, an Ashtabula housing inspector, was under investigation after he found money inside a home scheduled to be demolished.

Ashtabula police said in a search warrant affidavit that Artuso gave some of the money to other people. The affidavit said police and the FBI had been investigating Artuso for public corruption involving prostitutes and bribery.

Court records don’t indicate whether Artuso has an attorney.

School board says member under investigation should resign

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A northwest Ohio school board is calling on a member under investigation for allegations of criminal sexual conduct involving a student to resign.

The board for the Washington Local Schools passed a motion Thursday asking Patrick Hickey to quit after Michigan State Police said last week it’s investigating allegations that Hickey had sex with teenage student while her coach and teacher in Addison from 1986 to 1990.

Hickey wasn’t at Thursday’s meeting, which is held off school property. Hickey was banned from the district in 2016 after an altercation at a basketball game. He resigned as Washington Local Schools superintendent in 2015 as the district prepared to fire him.

Hickey was elected to the school board in November. He has denied wrongdoing and couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday.

Teen returning home after sentence for killing her father

WARREN, Ohio (AP) — A teen girl who said she fatally shot her father because he was abusive is expected to return to her northeast Ohio home this weekend after serving an eight-month sentence in a juvenile detention center and a mental health facility.

The Vindicator reports the mother of 16-year-old Bresha Meadows emailed the newspaper Wednesday and said her daughter would be returning home Sunday.

Meadows pleaded guilty last May to delinquency by reason of involuntary manslaughter for killing 41-year-old Jonathan Meadows at their family’s home in Warren in July 2016. She was 14 at the time.

The teen was sentenced to two months in a juvenile detention center followed by six months at a mental health facility in Cleveland.

Cleveland mayor’s nephew sentenced on federal weapons charge

CLEVELAND (AP) — The nephew of Cleveland’s mayor has been sentenced to eight years in prison on a federal weapons charge.

Cleveland.com reports that Mayor Frank Jackson was in the courtroom Thursday for the sentencing of his nephew, 38-year-old Nicholas Martin.

Police say Martin was arrested in March 2017 after falling asleep at a traffic light. Cleveland police reported finding a gun and pills in his car. Martin pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm despite prior felony convictions.

Martin’s public defender declined to comment.

Martin is the son of Nick Jackson, the Democratic mayor’s younger brother, who has worked for the city and the school district.

Jury finds man not guilty in woman’s 1991 slaying

NEWARK, Ohio (AP) — A man charged with murder in a woman’s 1991 slaying in Ohio has been found not guilty.

A jury acquitted 73-year-old Gustave Sapharas (goo-STAV’ suh-PHAR’-ihs) of the murder charge Thursday in a courtroom in Newark.

Authorities said a DNA match in 2009 helped lead to the North Canton man’s 2017 arrest in 21-year-old Bonita Parker’s slaying. The Columbus woman’s body was found in Licking County in August 1991. She had been stabbed in the heart.

County Prosecutor Bill Hayes said he respects the jury’s decision, but believes Sapharas is guilty.

Defense attorney Diane Menashe said DNA evidence only showed Sapharas had been with Parker, who was known to work as a prostitute. Menashe said prosecutors offered no evidence that he killed her.

Sapharas maintains he didn’t know or recognize Parker.

Colonel to assume of command of National Guard air base

MANSFIELD, Ohio (AP) — The first female commander of an Ohio National Guard air base in the state is scheduled to assume command of the base in northern Ohio in a change-of-command ceremony.

The National Guard says Col. Allison Miller will take command of the 179th Airlift Wing at Lahm Air National Guard Base in Mansfield on Saturday.

The 46-year-old Miller is a decorated veteran pilot who has most recently served as the National Guard’s director of safety. She succeeds Col. James Camp. He was named the Ohio assistant adjutant general for Air for the National Guard last month.

The 179th Airlift Wing supports the C-130H Hercules transport aircraft, which provide tactical airlift capabilities to both missions at home and overseas.

The ceremony was re-scheduled from earlier this month.

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