YOUNGSTOWN — Judge John Durkin sentenced Richard A. Lamp, 39, of Canton, to prison after being found guilty of trying to steal the gun of Smith Township police officer Donald Davis last December.

Durkin, of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, also found Lamp guilty of receiving stolen property for having drugs and other items Dec. 27, 2019, taken during a car theft, and obstructing official business.

He was sentenced this week to a term of five to seven-and-a-half years. Lamp could have received more than 10 years in prison.

Lamp agreed early this week to have the case tried without a jury and allowed the judge to decide it himself.

Sgt. Don Davis testified that he was called to 1400 Beloit Snodes Road just north of Beloit early that morning and found Lamp and another man in a vehicle behind a stolen car in a ditch. Davis found drugs in Lamp’s pockets that belonged to the woman who owned the stolen vehicle. Davis also found $700 in cash and an Ohio Direction card belonging to the victim.

Other items belonging to the woman were found inside the vehicle where Lamp was sitting. Davis later learned that the other man at the scene picked up Lamp, took him to get gas and brought him back to the car in the ditch.

Davis took Lamp to the Smith Township Police Department, where Davis prepared to put belly chains on Lamp to take him to the Mahoning County jail on charges associated with the stolen items. Lamp’s back was turned to Davis.

Surveillance video from the police station showed Lamp quickly spinning around and reaching with his left hand toward Davis’ service weapon. Davis, who was alone in the police station with Lamp, testified that Lamp was able to pull on the retention hood of Davis’ holster, unsnapping it. But Davis threw Lamp back and onto the floor, securing him in handcuffs, preventing Lamp from getting the gun.

In his verdict, Durkin said the video seemed to show Lamp “both looked at and was reaching for the service revolver.” Furthermore, the officer testified that is what happened and stealing the keys would not have accomplished anything, the judge said, because Davis would have still had his gun.