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Ex-auditor sentenced to prison

Anthony J. Natale gets one year and one day for terror hoax

YOUNGSTOWN — Former Warren Auditor Anthony J. Natale was sentenced to one year and a day in federal prison after being convicted of sending white powder in the mail to a former employer after he was fired in November 2014.

Earlier this year, Natale, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of conveying false information related to the use of a weapon of mass destruction. Authorities said Natale on Nov. 10, 2014, mailed an envelope containing white powder via the U.S. Postal Service to American Business Center, 7677 South Ave. in Boardman. This was done with the intent to convey false and misleading information related to the use of a weapon of mass destruction, according to court documents. He was terminated by the company on Oct. 6, 2014.

Natale was ordered to pay $9,834.13 to the victim company and $14,361.90 to the first responders. He will also serve three years of probation and pay a $100 special assessment.

Natale brought to court a check for $10,000 with the intention to pay the victim company, as well as any fines and costs ordered by the court.

At the recommendation of Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Seabury Gould, Judge Benita Y. Pearson ordered the money brought by Natale to be used to pay the victim.   Natale also must pay first responders, including Boardman police and fire departments, the Mahoning County HAZMAT and the Ohio Department of Health.

When given a chance to speak, Natale, broke into tears saying he embarrassed himself, his family and his wife. He  was later handcuffed and taken to jail.

Natale explained that when he received the COBRA documents in the mail from his former employer, he, at first, thought about throwing the papers away, but later thought he had to be responsible.

“I filed them out and threw them on the dining room table,” Natale said.

Several days later, after receiving a number of bills and realizing he could not pay them, Natale admitted becoming increasingly frustrated at not being able to support his wife as he was felt responsible to do.

“I did not spend the time stewing and brooding,” Natale said.  “It was the worse decision I made in my life.”

It only was after he mailed the documents and the investigation began that Natale admitted to himself that he may have a problem with depression.

Defense attorney Desirae DiPiero sought to convince Pearson that placing Natale on probation and treatment for his depression would have been better in treating Natale’s emotional and psychological problems, rather than sending him to prison.

Natale has shown evidence of depression, an anxiety disorder and a borderline personality disorder, according to the psychological reports given to the court and presented as part of his pre-sentencing investigation.

Pearson could have sentence Natale up to 18 months in prison based on federal sentencing guidelines. But the judge said nothing in the reports or the discussions she had with Natale convinced her that he should not be sent to prison.

Pearson noted that because Natale previously had been in counseling as a result of anger management concerns he exhibited while working at Trumbull County Jobs and Family Services, weighed on her decision.

The judge told Natale that she sentenced him to one year and a day, because if she had given him one year he would have had to serve the entire year.  However, by adding the extra day, he would be eligible to earn good time credits and could serve less time.

After the completion of the prison term, Natale will have a three-year parole period.  During that time, he will be eligible to participate in a variety of  counseling and medical programs that will help his depression and psychological  issues.

rsmith@tribtoday.com

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