Charles Bogart Jr. stands at the podium with his defense attorney, Chris Amato, pleads guilty in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison for killing William “Sonny” Young during the commission of a burglary in 2010. (Photo by Mary Ann Greier)

LISBON — William “Sonny” Young’s killer, Charles Bogart Jr., finally faced his punishment Monday for Young’s 2010 shooting death — 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter and burglary.

Bogart, 49, Hazel Run Road, Hammondsville, entered the plea as part of a negotiated agreement with a jointly recommended sentence, which Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton followed.

Bogart had been indicted for aggravated murder and murder with a firearm specification and could have faced a life sentence, but instead pleaded guilty to the lesser included offense of involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony, rather than the aggravated murder. He also pleaded guilty to prosecutor’s information for a third-degree felony burglary charge, along with the firearm specification. The second count of murder was dismissed.

The sentence was 10 years for the involuntary manslaughter, which is the maximum, a mandatory three years for the firearm specification and the maximum 36 months for the burglary, all to be served consecutively for a total of 16 years. He received credit for 185 days served in jail.

Bogart said nothing and his defense attorney, Chris Amato, asked Bickerton to just follow the joint recommendation.

County Prosecutor Vito Abruzzino said it’s a great outcome for a case that’s nearly 15 years old, explaining that with a cold case like this one, memories fade, witnesses may not be available and detectives may be retired. Retired county Sheriff’s Detective Jeff Haugh, who investigated the case, was in the courtroom.

In a press release, Abruzzino said the investigation into Young’s death was prioritized by the Columbiana County Cold Case Task Force, which was formed in 2021 by Abruzzino, Sheriff Brian McLaughlin and other county law enforcement agencies.

Abruzzino credited detectives with the sheriff’s office, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and members of the county Prosecutor’s Office staff for “achieving this landmark conviction on a case that was nearly 15-years old.”

“Without the Cold Case Task Force and investigators from multiple agencies coming together and analyzing this case from the ground up, we would not be where we are today. I also cannot thank the Columbiana County Commissioners enough for providing me the resources needed to reinvigorate these ‘cold cases’ to the point that we are seeing indictments and convictions.”

“To those families that have loved ones that were lost to a homicide without resolution, know that they are not forgotten. We will continue to do everything we can to see that justice is ultimately done,” he said in the press release.

During a brief interview, he urged people to call the anonymous tip line at 330-420-1050 to leave information about crimes to help law enforcement.

“That’s what’s going to help us break cases like this and get cases indicted,” he said.

Young, 69, was discovered dead in the woods behind his home on Spring Valley Road, Salineville near Highlandtown on Aug. 11, 2010. He had been shot to death and some time had passed before he was discovered.

County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Weikart reviewed the events which led to the charges noting that the involuntary manslaughter charge relates to killing someone in the commission of a felony offense, in this case burglary.

On July 31, 2010, Young left early in the morning for a fishing trip and didn’t return until late Aug. 1, 2010. On Aug. 3, 2010, Weikart said Bogart went to the Huntington Bank drive-thru in Calcutta driving Young’s PT Cruiser and wearing his watch and tried to pass himself off as Young in an attempt to withdraw $3,500, which the bank wouldn’t do even after he came inside and tried to say he was Young.

From Aug. 3 through Aug. 9, 2010, Weikart said Bogart went on a spending spree of more than $4,000 with multiple credit cards belonging to Young, buying pizza, sneakers, a huge fish tank, flooring for his house and numerous other items. On Aug. 8, 2010, he traveled to Mountaineer Casino in West Virginia and tried to access more money as Young.

On Aug. 11, 2010, Bogart was taken into custody on a warrant for an unrelated case. At the time of his arrest, he was driving Young’s truck, had Young’s wallet and credit cards and personal items. More of Young’s property was found during a search of Bogart’s home, including Young’s PT Cruiser found hidden in high weeds across the road from Bogart’s property and Young’s Masonic bible. Young’s body was found later the same day.

On Aug. 10, 2010, the Sheriff’s Office learned that Young was missing after failing to show up for several commitments, including helping out at Shaker Woods

According to Weikart, the defendant told investigators he spoke to Young on July 31 about taking some of his stuff, but that couldn’t be since Young was on his fishing trip.

Bogart faced charges previously regarding his possession of Young’s property and for identify fraud. The Cold Case Task Force and the Ohio Attorney General’s office starting working on further analysis of the phone records and found that Bogart’s phone pinged off of a cell tower near Young’s property at 3:52 a.m. Aug. 2, 2010 when he tried to call Young’s landline phone. He called the number again at 8:50 a.m. Aug. 2, 2010.

Weikart said the defendant was cleaning out Young’s property while Young was dead on the property. He said this sentence for Bogart “would offer closure to friends of “Sonny” Young.” His family members had passed away, but he still had friends who had kept in contact with the prosecutor’s office.