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YOUNGSTOWN -- Jamie J. Longnecker, 47, of South Newton Falls Road in Berlin Center, who will be sentenced today for menacing family members and friends of a young woman, has been isolated during his life by a hearing and speaking disability. He was born deaf and mute as a result of nerve damage during birth.
A sentencing memorandum filed by Longnecker's attorney, Max Hiltner, states that not only did Longnecker's deafness and muteness from birth create barriers between him and other children, he also "struggled to find a deaf community he could socialize with, and his non-deaf friends could not understand him."
Judge Anthony D'Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court could sentence Longecker to up to 3 years in prison.
Prosecutors say Longnecker harassed 46 family members and friends of a young waitress at a Berlin Center restaurant where Longnecker once worked by sending them mailings containing ""very suggestive sexual references."
Adding to Longnecker's isolation was that he learned a type of sign language as a child that was not very commonly used, the filing states.
"As a result, Mr. Longnecker only has limited training in American Sign language, which makes it difficult for him to communicate even with people in the deaf community," Hiltner added.
Read MORE in Thursday’s VINDICATOR.