WARREN — A Trumbull County jury took just five minutes Thursday to convict a 50-year-old Warren man of escape, marking the 18th jury trial since the start of 2024 to result in convictions.

James D. Finlaw of Harmon Avenue NW was found guilty of failing to report to his parole officer in 2020, concluding a one-day trial. He was represented by two public defenders. Trumbull County First Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Becker tried the case before Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Sarah T. Kovoor, who will schedule sentencing after Finlaw’s background investigation by probation officers.

Becker called one witness, a parole officer, who testified that Finlaw was declared an absconder for non-reporting as of Dec. 14, 2020.

The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict just five minutes after deliberations began.

“I believe that may have set a record for Trumbull County,” said Prosecutor Dennis Watkins.

Becker called it, “The shortest and quickest trial I have had in my career.”

“I want to thank Marissa Frasure of the Adult Parole Authority for her testimony and hard work,” Becker said. “I further want to note that this case was the first trial in front of newly elected Judge Sarah Thomas Kovoor. Having worked with Judge Kovoor when she was a prosecutor, it was my honor to try the first jury trial in her courtroom.”

Finlaw, represented by public defenders Alexander Keane and Heather Ninni, had been on post-release control after serving an 18-month prison term for a 2019 felony OVI conviction, which included a one-year repeat violent offender specification.

The case stemmed from a 2018 drunk driving arrest in Trumbull County.