YOUNGSTOWN — An assistant prosecutor and Judge Anthony Donofrio of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court agreed that Kyree Grabe’s extensive criminal history warranted more than a light sentence this time.

Assistant Prosecutor Kevin Trapp said Grabe, 28, “has had multiple opportunities to avail himself of various forms” of probation or parole “after having been convicted of several crimes leading up to this one. Each time he has either violated the terms of that” probation or parole.

When officials come to court to talk about how Grabe has behaved on probation or parole, they say “he has never really been amenable and never truly engaged with his” probation “sanctions,” Trapp said. “There is only one place for him to be at this point, and that’s obviously the penitentiary.”

Likewise, Donofrio listed many of Grabe’s previous convictions, calling it a “horrible record.” Grabe responded to many of the complaints against him and said that he has problems, but he is not violent.

The judge sentenced Grabe to 6 to 7 1/2 years in prison on convictions for high-level cocaine possession, having a weapon while not allowed and heroin possession.

The charges stemmed from an arrest Aug. 14, 2020, outside the All City Sports Bar, 1698 Mahoning Ave., at a time when Youngstown police were keeping a close watch on the tavern because of incidents in and around the bar that brought complaints from neighbors.

The bar was later shut down by a different Mahoning County Common Pleas Court judge after the Youngstown Law Department filed a nuisance complaint against the bar. Judge R. Scott Krichbaum ordered the bar closed for one year from October of 2020.

On Aug. 14, Youngstown police officers reported seeing Grabe park his vehicle on the sidewalk. Officers approached Grabe and told him he would get a parking ticket, but Grabe said he was “fine with receiving a ticket” and walked into the tavern.

As an officer was writing the ticket, he noticed a window in Grabe’s vehicle was down, so he shined his flashlight into the car and observed a handgun under the front passenger seat.

Officers found Grabe and charged him with improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle. Officers searched Grabe and found crack cocaine, marijuana and about $2,800 in cash in his pockets. Police also later found other suspected drugs in the vehicle, the report states.

Trapp told Donofrio that because of the amount of drugs and the weapon, as well as Grabe’s prior history, a six-to 7 1/2-year sentence is appropriate.

“I think the time has come for Mr. Grabe to experience something beyond just a handful of years here and there with possible judicial release,” Trapp said.

‘HORRIBLE BACKGROUND’

Grabe’s attorney, Mark Lavelle, said a sentence of six years should not be considered lightly because he’s been locked up the last 7 1/2 years. “He’s been in and out, in and out,” Lavelle said.

“I’ve spent most of my 20s” locked up, Grabe added. Grabe then said he has a long criminal history, but not for violence. “My background is not for firearms,” Grabe said.

“You have a horrible background,” the judge interjected. “Just the drug offenses.”

Grabe said he has a drug problem. “My brother got killed in front of me,” he said. He doesn’t steal or shoot people, Grabe said. “I’m a good guy, kind hearted.”

Grabe said the night he was arrested on these charges, someone was in the car and he didn’t know if they had a gun.

“You were by yourself,” the judge said.

“I was not by myself, Your Honor,” Grabe said.

The judge said police officers heard Grabe tell his girlfriend Grabe “knew the gun was in the car.”

“They heard that wrong,” Grabe replied.

The judge then listed previous charges, one as a juvenile, two drug charges as an adult in 2012, burglary in 2013, domestic violence, aggravated riot, participating in criminal gang activity all in 2014, theft of less than $1,000 and receiving stolen property in 2015.

“It goes on and on,” the judge said. “Possession of drugs, drug abuse … possession of drugs, drug paraphernalia.”

erunyan@vindy.com