YOUNGSTOWN — Bond was set at $1 million for Vashuad D. May, 21, Wednesday when he was arraigned in Youngstown Municipal Court in the April 29, 2022, murder of Rawsheem Aponte, 24, on Mohawk Avenue on the South Side.

May was arraigned on the murder charge, as well as a misdemeanor obstructing official business charge for which he did not come to court in 2022. No plea was required on the murder charge, which carries a possible penalty of 15 years to life if convicted.

May was brought to the Mahoning County jail Tuesday after the U.S. Marshals Service arrested him in late November near Minneapolis. May returns to municipal court 9 a.m. Dec. 20 for a preliminary hearing.

Kathy Thompson, Youngstown prosecutor, asked Judge Carla Baldwin to set bond at $1 million in the murder case “due to the violent nature of this offense, where the allegation is that Mr. May was seen on video firing directly into a car driven by Mr. Rawsheem Aponte, causing his death …”

Another reason for the high bond is May’s history of failing to appear for court. The judge set a personal recognizance bond on the charge of obstructing official business, a misdemeanor.

“You have a nice day,” May told the judge at the end of the hearing.

“You do the same, sir,” she replied.

On April 26, 2022, Youngstown police were called just before 5:30 p.m. to the 3800 block of Mohawk Avenue, where they found a chaotic scene involving a gray Chevrolet Camaro with three victims inside, Youngstown police said at the time of the episode.

Police performed life-saving measures on a woman, 23, who was shot in the leg. Her daughter, 3, was grazed on the leg by a bullet. Aponte was killed. Police estimated that at least 50 shots were fired.

According to a news release from the U.S. Marshals Service in November, the defendant “chased down” Aponte on Mohawk Avenue.

Earlier the week May was arrested, the Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force gathered information that May had fled from Ohio and was staying near Minneapolis. The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force worked with its counterparts in Minneapolis over a couple of days, and May was located at an apartment in New Hope, Minnesota.

Initially, May refused to comply with officers and barricaded himself in the apartment. However, he eventually surrendered and was taken into custody.

“We applaud the collaborative work of our federal, state and local partners who worked diligently to identify and find Vashuad May,” FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen said.

“His violent criminal actions affected not only Rawsheem Aponte and his family, but also the lives of many others, including those caught in the crossfire of this senseless violence,” Nelsen added.

U.S. Marshal Peter Elliott of the Northern District of Ohio stated, “Fugitives think they can run and hide, and no one will find them. They don’t realize that law enforcement doesn’t give up. They will be found, arrested and brought to justice for the crimes they commit and the devastation they bring to our communities.”