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WARREN -- An appellate court on Monday upheld three consecutive life sentences with an additional 60 years of prison time for violent predator David Honzu, 64.
Last December, Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Ronald J. Rice found that Honzu is a sexually violent predator and a repeat violent offender, specifications that were attached to three kidnapping counts and two rape counts that a jury had decided.
Those specifications, along with the sexual motivation specifications, added years to the prison term for Honzu.
Honzu's attorney, Dennis Day Lager, argued last month that his client was not found guilty by the trial court judge on specifications that added an enhanced prison sentence.
The three-judge panel, led by Judge Mary Jane Trapp and joined by Judges Eugene Lucci and Robert Patton, ruled that the court did not err -- saying the judge made a finding that Honzu "is" a sexually violent predator and a repeat violent offender.
Separately, in another 2022 bench trial, Honzu was found guilty on two lesser counts of attempted kidnapping with sexual motivation, with specifications, in addition to a separate count of tampering with evidence.
He was sentenced to 17 years to life for a July 2022 incident at a self-service car wash in Champion Township where a young woman escaped from an abduction attempt.
Police arrested Honzu a few hours later as he was still driving around in a vehicle that was spotted at the car wash. When officers arrested him, they found Honzu naked from the waist down and intoxicated.
In that case, Honzu appealed, citing two potential court errors, one stating the state failed prove the attempted kidnapping charge. His additional claim is that his legal counsel was ineffective, arguing it failed to file motions to suppress evidence seized from searches of his vehicle and cellphone.
The appellate judges again found the assignments of error to be without merit.
In both cases, Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Sanders argued on behalf of the state.
Honzu is incarcerated at Marion Correctional Institution.