Mar 1, 2021
YOUNGSTOWN Magistrate Anthony Sertick Jr. of Youngstown Municipal Court set bond at $10,000 for homeless man Caleb Vancampen, 20, on felony vandalism today, accused of damaging or destroying 16 statues at Mount Carmel Church early Friday.
No plea was required, and Vancampen’s case will be set for a preliminary hearing. Sertick set Vancampen’s bond at $10,000.
Jeff Moliterno, assistant Youngstown law director, said Vancampen has no previous record but has two pending theft charges from Thursday in Youngstown, and Judge Renee DiSalvo set bond at $500 on each of those charges.
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Bishop David Bonnar talks about the vandalism done to statues at the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel while standing next to the damaged Saint Francis of Assissi statue
Staff photo / R. Michael Semple
YOUNGSTOWN An East Palestine man is jailed in connection with more than a dozen religious statues vandalized at the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, in what Diocese of Youngstown Bishop David Bonnar described as a senseless act.
Police on Friday afternoon arrested the 20-year-old in connection with a felony count of vandalism for the early morning incident.
After the damage was reported, two patrol officers recalled dealing Thursday morning with a suspicious man in two car break-ins on East Commerce Street, a short distance from the church, said Capt. Rod Foley, chief of detectives. That man was given two misdemeanor summons for taking items including glasses, face masks, a hat and a phone charger out of parked cars and was arraigned Friday, Foley said.
Special to the Journal
YOUNGSTOWN An East Palestine man is jailed in connection with more than a dozen religious statues vandalized at the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, in what Diocese of Youngstown Bishop David Bonnar described as a senseless act.
Police Friday afternoon arrested the 20-year-old in connection with a felony count of vandalism for the early morning incident.
After the damage was reported, two patrol officers recalled dealing Thursday morning with a suspicious man in two car break-ins on East Commerce Street, a short distance from the church, said Capt. Rod Foley, chief of detectives. That man was given two misdemeanor summons for taking items including glasses, face masks, a hat and a phone charger out of parked cars and was arraigned Friday, Foley said.
Staff photo / Ed Runyan
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Geraldine DeWitt, left, speaks to Judge Renee DiSalvo of Youngstown Municipal Court during her sentencing hearing Thursday. Behind her is her attorney, Ron Yarwood, and Angela Miner, a court-security bailiff.
YOUNGSTOWN Former teacher Geraldine DeWitt, 62, was sentenced to 30 days in jail for assaulting a special needs student at McGuffey Elementary School in April 2019.
Youngstown Municipal Court Judge Renee DiSalvo issued the sentence Thursday.
DeWitt must report to jail March 4 unless she can provide a report from her doctor indicating a need for her jail time to be postponed until after she gets the COVID-19 vaccine.
Her attorney, Ronald Yarwood, argued that because of DeWitt’s age, health and having not yet gotten a COVID-19 vaccine, going to jail now could “become something much more permanent than a jail sentence.”