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Jaworski sentenced reduced

BELMONT COUNTY Common Pleas Court Judge Jennifer Sargus subtracted a year off of a Noble County Correctional inmate’s sentence Monday so that he could go home to Pennsylvania and help take care of his elderly mother and aunt.

John Jaworski, 40, has served three years of a four-year sentence at the Noble County facility, according to Belmont County Prosecutor Chris Berhalter.

Berhalter reminded Sargus that Jaworski took the $5,000 from his girl friend, Leslie Long, formerly of St. Clairsville, after he had agreed to kill her husband.

Long, who allegedly met Jaworski on the Internet, was sentenced to an Ohio prison for nine years for her part in the incident that left her husband with a gunshot wounds to the arm and abdomen.

Instead of doing the job himself, Berhalter said, “Jaworski hired a gunman, took him to Long’s home, waited on him to shoot him (the husband), and then drove him away from the scene, back to Pennsylvania.”

Jaworski’s attorney, John Vavra, asked Sargus to grant his client a judicial release since he had already spent three years in prison, also because he had helped law enforcement solve the crime by testifying against Leslie Long and because he has an elderly mother and aunt who have health problems and he is needed at home.

A relative of Jaworski’s, Janet Novesell who lives in Cranberry Township in Pennsylvania, testified on Monday.

She said, “My mom Dorothy Jaworski has hip problems and problems with walking. She also has labored breathing and can’t cut the grass. We also have a 97-year-old aunt I am responsible for.” She added, “My mother needs to be taken out for walks every day.”

Novesell also told Sargus that she is having problems taking care of her by herself since she has two full-time jobs and family of her own to care for.

She has gotten Jaworski a job when he gets out and she told the judge that she “can promise” that he won’t get into any more trouble at home.

Berhalter was against the early judicial release since he said part of the agreement at Jaworski’s trial was that he get a shorter sentence which turned out to be the four years.

Berhalter said, “I agree that most likely this case would not have been solved if not for Mr. Jaworski. However, his sentence was half or less time than the other co-defendants got.”

Sargus, before she granted the motion, said, “The depth of his participation in every program at the prison has been enormous.”

She then read a letter from the prison chaplain who felt that Jaworski deserved the release.

Sargus added, “You have received accolades from the penitentiary and you have it in your heart to help your family. I’m going to grant the motion and put you in a residential setting at your mother’s.”

Sargus also told Jaworski that he will be monitored for a full five years.

IN OTHER court proceedings, Jennifer Jo Mansfield, 33, 1821C, North 9th St., Martins Ferry, pleaded guilty to a fifth degree felony obstruction of official business and a misdemeanour child endangerment charge.

Sargus informed her that she will be facing a maximum sentence of 12 months in prison, and a $3,500 fine for both charges if she is convicted.

Also John T. Mozie, 18, 57993 Deep Run Road, Martins Ferry, was sentenced to one year in jail on a third degree fleeing and eluding charge after he failed to finish drug court.

Mozie was sentenced to drug court instead of going to jail on condition that he comply with the drug court program which is an intensive out-patient type program. When he was accepted in drug court it was understood that he would have to go to jail if he didn’t comply.

Six months of the sentence was suspended with six months in the East Ohio Correctional Center. He will also be under six months intensive probation and two and a half years regular probation when he is released and pay almost $1,000 to the state for his extradition costs from North Carolina.

Mozie told the judge that he intends to go to coal mining school when he is released.

Hull can be reached at lhull@timesleaderonline.com.

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