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LISBON -- A Salineville man with an aggravated murder case and other weapons cases still pending received an 18-month prison sentence Tuesday for charges of having weapons under disability and escape.
Justin Givens, 28, state Route 644, said nothing when given a chance to make a statement, following the advice of his attorney.
"He has no excuses for this," defense attorney Damian Billak said.
Billak asked Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam not to sentence Givens to the Ohio Department of Corrections since he has other cases pending, including the aggravated murder trial scheduled for July 18 before Judge Megan Bickerton.
Washam, though, ordered that Givens be conveyed to the Ohio Department of Corrections. With 402 days credit for time already served, about four months are left on the sentence. Givens has remained in custody under a $1 million bond since his arrest March 19, 2022, the day after the shooting death of Mary Ann McGuire.
The 18-month sentence was recommended by county Chief Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Weikart.
The bond will remain in effect, so even if his prison sentence on this case is completed, he'll be returned to the county jail and won't be released.
Both charges in this case were third-degree felonies. The weapons charge stemmed from Givens having a rifle in one of his pickups the day after the murder, even though he's prohibited from having weapons. The escape charge stemmed from him allegedly faking an injury at the jail in hopes of being transported to a hospital in an attempt to escape custody on March 21, 2022, a plan which was thwarted by the sheriff's office.
Givens pleaded guilty last week to improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony, and a misdemeanor endangering children charge for a Dec. 26, 2021 traffic stop when he had a firearm in a vehicle with children present. A charge of obstructing official business was dismissed. Sentencing was set for 11:40 a.m. July 10.
Also last week, he was served with two more indictments for first-degree felony charges of possessing deadly weapons for allegedly having a razor and piece of copper fashioned into a weapon while incarcerated in the county jail. Arraignment on those charges is set for May 4.
A final status hearing remains set for 10 a.m. June 26 on the aggravated murder case before Bickerton.
Charges include unclassified felonies of aggravated murder and murder for allegedly causing McGuire's death, along with two counts of grand theft when the property is a firearm or dangerous ordnance, both third-degree felonies, two counts of tampering with evidence, both third-degree felonies, aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor, and two firearm specifications.
mgreier@mojonews.com