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LISBON -- A Youngstown man was sentenced to 18 months in prison following a hearing on drug-related charges in Common Pleas Court this week.
At 25 years old, Robert Manigault, of Youngstown, had a lengthy conversation with Judge Megan Bickerton prior to sentencing about his long criminal history.
"Obviously you are a young man and this has been a course of your life for a long time," Bickerton said, adding in a letter he wrote to the court he seemed as if he wanted to make a change.
But after he committed the crimes of tampering with evidence and possession of heroin in Columbiana County, Manigault had been charged with additional charges in Mahoning and Stark County. Assistant County Prosecutor Alec Beech said he has had recently had multiple charges on multiple days in multiple jurisdictions. One of those pending charges is a first-degree felony cocaine charge.
"You tell me prison's not for me, but you keep doing things to get your put back there," Bickerton said. "What is your end goal?"
She talked with Manigault about making a plan for his future, one that includes not using drugs.
Manigault said he saw many things in his life, including his father killed in front of him at age 16. He said he has used a lot of drugs and recently died from an overdosed, but was brought back. He said he would like to be a better father for his daughters.
"Honestly I want to get my life together … use what has happened to me to help someone else," Manigault said, adding he is interested in learning the HVAC trade.
Bickerton said she believes he is young enough to make the changes in his life, but first he needs to take care of all the charges he is facing both here and in other counties. She also urged him to take advantage of programs.
Manigault had pleaded guilty on Feb. 5 to tampering with evidence and possession of heroin for trying to give the drugs to two others riding in the same vehicle during a traffic stop on March 20, 2019.