Canton man gets 4-year prison term under new strangulation, domestic violence law
CANTON ‒ A 31-year-old city man convicted of choking, punching and slapping a woman in April has been sentenced to four years in prison.
Stark County Common Pleas Judge Natalie R. Haupt sentenced Devion L. Williams for two counts each of strangulation and domestic violence on Monday.
Williams was convicted in a jury trial of the offenses that occurred April 28 and 29 in Canton, less than four weeks after strangulation became a felony crime in Ohio on April 4.
"I think this case demonstrates the very reason that strangulation is now a felony in Ohio," Haupt said.
The judge said she did not hear or see any expression of remorse from Williams. She noted that the offense occurred near multiple children and was facilitiated by the offender's relationship with the victim.
Defense attorney Keith A. Warstler Jr. argued unsuccessfully for Williams to be placed on probation and not sent to prison.
"Prior to my client's arrest for this, he had been working full time," Warstler said. "He actually has an opportunity to attend flight school on a scholarship."
The defense attorney asked that the sentences for the strangulation and domestic violence convictions be served at the same time because the strangulation was the domestic violence.
But Assistant County Prosecutor Kristen L. Mlinar disagreed. She said the beating was separate from the strangulation.
She said Williams cannot be trusted to be in the community and that there was a gun in the house at the time of the crimes.
Mlinar said victims who have been strangled are 750% more likely to be killed by the perpetrator, when compared to victims without a strangulation history.
A complaint filed by Canton police in Canton Municipal Court, where the case originated, said Williams choked the victim and shoved a sock down her throat to prevent her from breathing. It said he punched and slapped her in the face, head, neck and chest.
Williams did not speak at the sentencing hearing because he is appealing his conviction, Warstler said.
The victim did not speak at sentencing.
The judge gave Williams credit against his for time already served in the county jail. He will spend one to three years on parole after being released from prison.
Jury verdicts: Canton man acquitted of attempted murder, convicted of domestic violence, strangulation
Fugitive arrested: Canton man, wanted for attempted murder, arrested and returned to Stark County
Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Devion Williams gets 4 years for strangulation, domestic violence
