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WARREN -- Two defendants received prison terms after being convicted of drug-related offenses Monday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
Brandon L. Davanzo Sr., 25, of Saranac Avenue, Youngstown, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of cocaine and one count possession of criminal tools, while another count of trafficking in cocaine was dismissed by prosecutors as part of a plea deal. Davanzo waived a background report and went straight to sentencing by Judge Andrew D. Logan who gave him a prison term of three to four-and-a-half years.
"You are still a young man, and you better behave yourself in prison so you can get the rest of your life together," Logan told the defendant.
Davanzo was arrested Oct. 12, 2019, by Liberty police who found more than 31 grams of cocaine in his possession. A couple weeks earlier, Davanzo was found in possession of a smaller amount of cocaine, prosecutors stated.
As part of the plea deal, the defendant agreed to forfeit more than $2,900 that was found on him during the two drug finds. The criminal tools charge involved police finding a scale in Davanzo's possession, prosecutors said.
Another defendant, Maurice E. Evans Jr., 40, of Second Street SW, Warren, was given a 24-month prison term after pleading guilty to four counts of trafficking in cocaine and one count possession of cocaine.
Evans' public defender Alexander Keane asked the judge to give his client probation, but Logan said he couldn't do that, pointing to Evans' three prior prison terms and saying he was a high risk to re-offend. Evans also faces a May 11 hearing before Judge W. Wyatt McKay on a charge of having weapons while under restrictions.
The drug-related arrest of Evans occurred in 2019 as part of an investigation conducted by the Trumbull County sheriff's TAG anti-drug task force.
Two other defendants pleaded guilty Monday to drug-related charges:
• Jason B. Berecek, 35, of Airport Road NW, Champion, pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of a fentanyl-related compound. Berecek, who faces a possible six to 12-month prison term, will be sentenced after he undergoes a background investigation by probation officers. Warren police found Berecek unresponsive on April 10, 2021, in the parking lot of the Pit Stop at 1001 Elm Road NE. When he was awakened, the man opened up a rolled $20 bill that blew white powder over the inside of the vehicle. The powder later tested to 0.35 gram of fentanyl, prosecutors said.
• Gregg W. White, 55, of Meadowbrook Avenue NE, Warren, pleaded guilty to a possession of cocaine charge. His case was referred to Logan's drug court docket, which means if he completes about one year of the program drug free, his conviction will be expunged. White was arrested by Warren police on Dec. 20, 2021, and found with .42 grams of cocaine, prosecutors said.